Medal of Honor recipients to be Honored

Medal of Honor recipients to be Honored
by Di Freeze

SEPTEMBER 2000

A permanent memorial will be dedicated at the Pueblo Convention Center during the Medal of Honor Society reunion held the week of Sept. 19-24.

The memorial honors all who have received the nation's highest award for heroism in war sine 1862. More than 100 of the 151 living Medal of Honor recipients will attend the ceremonies. The monument dedication will take place Sept. 21. The memorial consists of larger-than-life bronze statues of Pueblo's four Medal of Honor recipients and granite plaques engraved with the names of the 3,432 recipients who have received the medal since it was created during the Civil War.

On Sept. 22, the war heroes will give out their own award, the Patriot Award, to five outstanding figures in sport that bolstered the GIs and lifted spirits. The award will be given to Pat LaFontaine, hockey star; Brooks Robinson, baseball wonder; David Robinson, basketball star; Arnold Palmer, golf legend; and Gene Fullmer, former world middleweight champion.

The Patriot Award was established to honor individuals who have distinguished themselves for the love of their country, the love of the principles it stands for, and support of the military and their dedication to their fellow man. Bill Coors, Sen. Bob Dole and former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush are past recipients.

The Medal of Honor members will also honor radio commentator Paul Harvey with its "Tex" McCrary Award for Journalism; cartoonist Bill Mauldin with their Bob Hope Entertainment Award for his World War II cartoons depicting the war and the feelings of GIs through his characters Willie and Joe; and Gen. Joe Foss, a famed WWII aviator, who will receive a special recognition award for his many accomplishments.

The Medal of Honor Air Festival 2000 will be held in conjunction with the event and will be sponsored by the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft and International B-24 Memorial Museums. The air festival will be held Sept 23-24. It is anticipated that approximately 10,000 people will attend the air festival. Aircraft including warbirds and experimental and homebuilt aircraft, military vehicles, powered parachutes, sailplanes, hang gliders and para gliders will be placed on static display. U.S. Civil War to Korean and Vietnam War historical reenactors will be present. Militaria memorabilia and military and aviation art dealers will display their wares.

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