An Army Ranger who lost his right hand while tossing an enemy grenade away from fellow soldiers in Afghanistan will be awarded the Medal of Honor, the U.S. Army announced this week.
Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry will be the second living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Iraq and Afghan wars, according to the military. President Barack Obama will present the award to Petry on July 12.
"It's very humbling to know that the guys thought that much of me and my actions that day, to nominate me for that," Petry said, according to an Army News Service report.
Petry is being awarded the medal for actions on May 26, 2008, in Paktia, Afghanistan.
Already wounded by a bullet that went through both his legs, Petry picked up an enemy grenade that landed near him and two fellow Rangers and threw it back toward the enemy, according to the Army News Service report. The grenade detonated and amputated Petry's right hand. Petry applied a tourniquet to his wound and called for help.
"If not for Staff Sergeant Petry's actions, we would have been seriously wounded or killed," a fellow Ranger, Sgt. Daniel Higgins, wrote. Read the full Army News Service report on the battle.
Petry, now assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia, will be the ninth service member to be presented the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan or Iraq. The other living recipient is Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta.
Petry, a father of four from Santa Fe, New Mexico, has served two tours of duty in Iraq and six in Afghanistan.
Wow that is a really mature and inteligent response NOT! and stop disrespecting people who really have lost loved ones in the military by pretending you have, when you have not. No one who really has is so disrespectful. If this country is so horrible leave it We don't need to fight for you. Oh yes, BTW get an education and only use words you know the defenition of..facist? you are so ignorant
Hey everyone,
This is suposed to be about Petry, not DUDE the idiot.
Congratulations, Petry. I don't think I could do what he did. I'd probably freeze up. That was amazing.
God Bless this heroic man and his family and all the others who serve.
The question we all should be asking is why has this poor man had to serve EIGHT combat tours?????
Because he probably chose to.
He probably didn't have to, but volunteered. Many become "combat" junkies. We had them in Vietnam as well. Three and four tours, many one right after the other.
Shot through both legs, saves his buddies by thowing away a live grenade, loses his hand in the process, applied a tourniquet to his own wound and called for help. Are the Rangers tough enough or what! Makes me Proud to be an American!
The Dude of course is a PuZZy who has never did anything for mankind, and will never amount to anything comparable to this soldier even before he won the MOH. A Ranger! The Dude wouln't have made boy scout let alone Ranger, or winning the MOH. Heres to Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry for a JOB WELL DONE! WELCOME HOME AND THANK YOU!
Yawn – You cannot prove what I say is false, you just don't care, which is worse.
You do your country a dis-service being a gullible tool of the government.
@The Dude,
If everyone is a gullible tool for the government, then by all means, I encourage you to run for political office. Through out history governments have been on uneasy terms with the population. This isn't because governments are by nature maligned but because a new perspective has yet to approach a level of validity that is obtainable by becoming a member of our legislative body.
Your aim seems to be, however I do admit I am a bit loss as to what your point is, to show that wars fought not on our soil are not vital to OUR freedom. That's debatable and if you enter any lecture hall on US history you will find no end to points on both sides. However, a quick glance at history will show what has happened during inaction, during over-reactions, and during preemptive action. Worst case scenario has mostly been inaction and many governments the world over have mostly adhered to preemptive action as the best route forward. Again, its very debatable.
Likewise, there are many laws that are being passed right now that restrict the freedom of the US citizen, there is not a way to debate the merits (more safety = more restrictions 99% of the time). However, the debate is 'are these restrictions too invasive?' Like any good debate worth its salt, it will take time to settle. Our world is being filled with technology that changes the way we communicate and provides new methods of invasive spying into our daily lives. It may take years before we have anyone old enough who, A – Understands technology and how it affects our daily lives, and B – Feels that there is a need to protect that technology from government/business intrusion.
So instead of flying off the handle on your point, how about a level headed approach? Okay you do not agree with the terms that this war was started on, jump in line. However, you ridicule your point by your approach and on the battle ground (this article about an injured solider) in which *you* have chosen to express your point. Either, A – You do not hold much care for the point that you are trying to make, or B – You need to be schooled on how to make a point that people will care about (hence the many comments about how much a moron you are.)
You must choose carefully how to approach people with your point and you need to pick favorable locations in which to broadcast it. Otherwise, your point becomes more and more muted and makes it that much harder for yourself and others to make the same point. Cheers.
The world is not a safe place...but I would rather die then have some 18yearold punk indiscriminately killing children and innocent people for MY safety.
NO THANK YOU.
From a physiological or psychological perspective, bravery is one thing that isn't even close to being explained. So for those who have anything bad to say, your day will come when you have to be brave (on your deathbed), and i know your will be crapng your pants and crying like a coward because all u ever cared about was yourself.
A person with absolutely no life trolling for attention. What a pathetic putz.
...tied his own tunriqit and saved two other lives...thats a hero betches....
We need to drop u off in the middle east where you can preach liberalism to everyone over there.
the economic law is protecting the economy in order for economic crimes to be committed because without the economy the economic crimes which are committed cannot be committed and the law needs them to be committed in order to rehabilitate people for committing economic crimes. this also pertains to military, their protecting economy in order for economic crimes to be committed because without the economy they wouldnt be committed and they couldnt goto war.
What turnip truck did you fall off? Must be a product of a modern public school.
So conservatism = Attacking our civil liberties? Thanks for the clarification....
The Medal of Honor, is not in anyway called the Congressional Medal of Honor. Thank Hollywood for that.
First of all it's disrepesctful to abbreviate The Medal of Honor. Second...you're an idiot~!!!!!!
The MOH is only awarded by an act of Congress, hence the term "Congressional Medal of Honor" Where do you people come from? Get it right, get it right!!!! Inbread POS!!!!
You have children...hahaha i feel absolute pity for them ,and I'm sure they feel the same for having u as their parent.
If only call of duty were this realistic! Amazing job soldier. Thank you for your bravery to protect my right to show my bravery only on xbox. I could never do what you did!
Your freedom is only threatned by our Government...this tool works for THEM.