Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry today became only the second living recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions taken in the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. President Obama presented our nation's highest military honor to the 31-year-old Army Ranger, who lost his hand while fighting to protect the men around him from a grenade in Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense.
Petry gave an exclusive interview to the Stars and Stripes today, telling the military newspaper that saving himself was not an option when a grenade landed near him while in combat in Afghanistan. He picked it up and attempted to launch the grenade away from his fellow soldiers:
“It was just pure instinct...And it was the right thing to do.”
You can watch Petry's induction ceremony into the Hall of Heroes here, courtesy of the Pentagon Channel:
