President Joe Biden awards the Medal of Honor to former Army Spc. 4th Class Kenneth David during a ceremony at the White House, Jan. 3, 2025. David – the only living recipient among the seven U.S. Soldiers from the Korean and Vietnam Wars to receive the Medal of Honor today – was recognized and honored for his acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a radio operator with Company D, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during combat operations on May 7, 1970 near Fire Support Base Maureen, Thua Thien province, Republic of Vietnam. (U.S. Army Photo by Henry Villarama)
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WASHINGTON — When enemy forces began to overwhelm the men of Company D, a radio operator in their ranks came to their aid.
On May 7, 1970, then-Pfc. Kenneth David sprang to action after enemy forces killed the unit’s platoon leader and other members of the company near Thua Thien Province, Republic of Vietnam.
David, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 101st Infantry Division, laid rounds of automatic fire upon the enemy, then risked his life to repeatedly pull injured comrades to safety.
Again and again, North Vietnamese forces attempted to fire on the wounded. David didn’t back away.
The Soldier let out a yell to draw fire to his position and away from the injured. Even when David suffered an injury himself, he refused medical attention.
When ammunition ran low, he began tossing grenades toward the enemy and even distracted hostile fire away from medical evacuation helicopters. He continued to provide cover for the wounded until he fully drove the enemy away.
For his bravery, David, the only living Soldier among the seven Army veterans honored Jan. 3, accepted the Medal of Honor from President Joe Biden. A day later the Defense Department inducted David into its Hall of Heroes.
“Ken, I want to say to you that I wish I could say to every man we’re honoring today: You’re a hero,” Biden said. “A genuine hero. A flat-out, straight-up American hero. And we owe you and the families owe you.”
David, an Ohio native with two sons, attended basic combat training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. His awards include the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart with 1st Oak Leaf Cluster. David finished active duty as a specialist fourth class.
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