Trump to award Medal of Honor to Alabama veteran

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump will award the Medal of Honor to a retired Army medic from Alabama who risked his life several times to provide medical care to his comrades during the Vietnam War, the White House announced Wednesday.

Trump will award retired Army Capt. Gary M. Rose of Huntsville, Alabama, the nation's highest military honor for his actions in combat.

Trump will honor Rose for his conspicuous gallantry during a White House ceremony Oct. 23.

The White House said Rose, 69, will be recognized for risking his life while serving as a medic with the 5th Special Force Group during combat operations in Vietnam in September 1970.

Rose repeatedly ran into the line of enemy fire to provide medical care and used his own body on one occasion to shield a wounded American from harm.

On the final day of the mission, Rose was wounded but put himself in the line of enemy fire while moving wounded personnel to an extraction point, loading them into helicopters and helping repel an enemy assault on the American position.

As he boarded the final extraction helicopter, the aircraft was hit with enemy fire and crashed shortly after takeoff.

The White House said Rose ignored his injuries and pulled the helicopter crew and members of his unit from the burning wreckage and provided medical care until another helicopter arrived.

Rose is a 20-year veteran of the Army. He will be the second person to be awarded the Medal of Honor by Trump. The president honored James McCloughan of South Haven, Michigan, in July for his actions to save wounded soldiers in a Vietnam kill zone.