Trump to award first Medal of Honor to Vietnam Army medic

WASHINGTON – An Army medic from Michigan who risked his life nine times to rescue comrades in Vietnam is becoming the first person to receive the Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump.

Trump is set to present America’s highest military honour to 71-year-old James McCloughan (mih-KLOO’-uhn) at the White House.

McCloughan was a 23-year-old private first class who was drafted into the Army and sent to Southeast Asia. He repeatedly entered the “kill zone” to rescue wounded comrades during the Battle of Hui Yon Hill in 1969, even as he was being pelted with shrapnel from a rocket propelled grenade.

McCloughan told The Associated Press in an interview last month that the battle was the worst two days of his life.