A West Michigan born former Army medic who saved the lives of 10 men during a two day battle in the Vietnam War has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. President Donald Trump awarded South Haven’s James McCloughan the Congressional Medal of Honor Monday afternoon at the White House for his bravery during the battle of Nui Yon Hill in 1969.
“Today we pay tribute to a veteran who went above and beyond the call of duty to protect our comrades, our country and our freedom,” President Trump said.“Senator Stabenow, Congressman Uptown and members of the armed forces, thank you for joining us as we award our nation’s highest military honor to Specialist 5, James C. McCloughan.”
Despite being hit by shrapnel and small arms fire three times, McCloughan, an army medic repeatedly ran onto the battlefield under heavy enemy fire to drag out wounded soldiers during the battle that stretched over two days. After the battle had ended, McCloughan had saved the lives of ten men.
“That’s the biggest reward that I have,” McCloughan said in an interview at the WGVU studios in June. “I would never demean the Medal of Honor, but having saved those 10 lives, that’s the biggest reward I have. They enjoyed a full life, and I am so proud that I was able to do that.”
While he said he is humbled by the recognition, McCloughan doesn’t like being labeled a hero.
“I am not a hero. Any veteran will tell you—the heroes are no longer with us,” he said.
Typically, the Medal of Honor is awarded within five years of a soldier’s note-worthy conduct, however in McCloughan’s case, lawmakers passed legislation that waived that time limit, allowing the doctor to receive the award nearly 50 years later.
After his return from the White House, McCloughan will be the keynote speaker at the LZ Michigan Festival at Fifth Third Ballpark. LZ Michigan, which stands for "landing zone," is a WGVU sponsored group that aims to remember and celebrate our community's veterans and their families. The festival will feature The Wall That Heals, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., as well as a screening of the new PBS documentary, 'The Vietnam War' by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.
