At a White House ceremony in July, President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to Sergeant First Class Leroy Petry. The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest medal for valor, or bravery, in combat. President Obama said that the medal “reflects the gratitude of our entire nation.”
Sergeant Petry is an Army Ranger who has served two tours in Iraq and six in Afghanistan. He received the Medal of Honor for his heroic acts in Afghanistan. On May 26, 2008, Petry and his fellow soldiers were on a mission when they came under attack. Petry was shot in both legs, but he still led his troops to take cover. Then, a grenade landed nearby. Petry lunged toward the grenade and threw it back just as it exploded.
Petry bravely helped save his fellow Rangers, but the explosion took his right hand. Despite his wounds, Petry remained calm and continued to lead his team. After the fight was won, another Ranger came up to shake Petry’s other hand. The fellow Ranger later said that it was the first time he had shaken the hand of a “true American hero.”
Today Petry wears a high-tech robotic artificial hand. He recently re-enlisted for another eight years in the U.S. Army. Petry currently works at Fort Benning, Georgia, with wounded soldiers and their families. Besides the Medal of Honor, he has received two Bronze Star Medals, a Purple Heart, and other medals and awards.
Image credit: U.S. Army Photo by Spc. David M. Sharp, AMVID
Related Links
- Sergeant Leroy Petry–Medal of Honor
Read Sergeant Leroy Petry’s biography, learn more about the Medal of Honor, and read the President’s speech from the award ceremony. - Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Learn about the history of the medal and its past recipients. - Medal of Honor Award Ceremony Video
Watch the White House Medal of Honor award ceremony for Sergeant Leroy Petry.
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