Medal of Honor Recipients to Attend Exhibit Preview Nov. 6
PHOENIX (Oct. 24, 2007)— Four Medal of Honor recipients – including two from the greater Kansas City area – will attend a special preview of TriWest Healthcare Alliance’s Visions of Valor exhibit, a collection of dramatic black-and-white photographic portraits of surviving Medal of Honor recipients, as part of Veterans Day activities in Kansas City.
TriWest Healthcare Alliance, serving the health care needs of military families in Missouri and 20 other western states, is bringing to Kansas City its traveling exhibit featuring 28 dramatic black-and-white portraits. A duplicate exhibit is on permanent display in the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes.
"Visions of Valor honors the 3,445 brave men who have received the nation’s highest honor for valor under enemy fire, and the exhibit echoes the values of patriotism and dedication to duty that are the military’s finest traditions," said TriWest President and CEO David J. McIntyre, Jr.
The special premier of Visions of Valor will begin at with a ceremony at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 6, at the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial’s J.C. Nichols Auditorium. The exhibit will be on display through Jan. 6 in the museum’s research center gallery for museum patrons.
The media is invited to attend and interview the Medal of Honor recipients attending the special preview.
There are only 109 Medal of Honor recipients alive today, including Leavenworth residents Roger Donlon and Charles Hagemeister, who are attending the special preview.
Roger Donlon, Captain, U.S. Army, July 6, 1964, Vietnam
Commanding a base under fierce attack, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire, moving around the compound’s beleaguered perimeter during five hours of attack directing defense operations positions and aborting a breach of the main gate, sustaining wounds but marshalling his forces and thwarting the attack.
Charles Hagemeister, Specialist Fifth Class (then Specialist Fourth Class), U.S. Army, March 20, 1967, Vietnam
During a sudden enemy attack, he unhesitatingly raced through enemy fire to provide wounded soldiers medical aid. In order to evacuate, he silenced the machine gun fire by killing four enemy fighters and secured help from a nearby platoon to evacuate additional men.
Robert Howard, 1st Lieutenant (then Sergeant First Class), U.S. Army, Dec. 30, 1968, Vietnam
While on a rescue mission, his platoon was attacked by a superior force. Weaponless and unable to walk, he crawled through a hail of fire to retrieve the wounded platoon leader, and crawled from position to position rendering aid, encouragement and directing defensive fire, repulsing enemy attacks.
George Sakato, Private, U.S. Army, Oct. 29, 1944, France, World War II
Disregarding heavy enemy fire, he single-handedly rushed an enemy strongpoint and encouraged others to join his attack. He inspired his squad in halting a counterattack. During this action, he killed 12 of the enemy and his fighting spirit turned impending defeat into victory.