English subtitles for clip: File:President Trump Presents the Medal of Honor.webm
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1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,330 The President: Thank you very much. 2 00:00:01,334 --> 00:00:08,404 Please be seated. 3 00:00:08,408 --> 00:00:11,978 Thank you, Chaplain Hurley. 4 00:00:11,978 --> 00:00:16,988 Secretary Mnuchin, Secretary Mattis, 5 00:00:16,983 --> 00:00:22,123 Secretary Shulkin, Senator Stabenow, Congressman 6 00:00:22,122 --> 00:00:25,762 Upton, and members of the Armed Forces: Thank you 7 00:00:25,759 --> 00:00:28,729 for joining us as we award our nation's highest 8 00:00:28,728 --> 00:00:32,928 military honor to Specialist Five 9 00:00:32,932 --> 00:00:37,032 James C. McCloughan. 10 00:00:37,036 --> 00:00:40,936 Today, we pay tribute to a veteran who went above and 11 00:00:40,940 --> 00:00:45,680 beyond the call of duty to protect our comrades, our 12 00:00:45,678 --> 00:00:49,378 country, and our freedom. 13 00:00:49,382 --> 00:00:54,252 Joining Jim today is his wife Cherie, his brothers 14 00:00:54,254 --> 00:01:00,224 Mike and Tom, his sons Jamie and Matt, and many 15 00:01:00,226 --> 00:01:06,536 other members of his very large and beautiful family. 16 00:01:06,533 --> 00:01:10,433 We're also gratified to be joined by eight previous 17 00:01:10,437 --> 00:01:12,137 Medal of Honor recipients. 18 00:01:12,138 --> 00:01:20,078 Now, Jim's name will stand forever alongside theirs 19 00:01:20,079 --> 00:01:23,679 in our history and in our hearts. 20 00:01:23,683 --> 00:01:26,453 I want to take a few minutes to tell you about 21 00:01:26,453 --> 00:01:31,463 Jim and how he earned this place among legends. 22 00:01:33,593 --> 00:01:37,293 Jim was raised in Bangor, Michigan. 23 00:01:37,297 --> 00:01:40,267 His father built their house from scratch and 24 00:01:40,266 --> 00:01:43,806 worked 40 years at a piano factory. 25 00:01:43,803 --> 00:01:47,143 Jim's dad taught him a simple but powerful 26 00:01:47,140 --> 00:01:49,910 lesson: Never do anything halfway. 27 00:01:49,909 --> 00:01:53,649 Always do your best. 28 00:01:53,646 --> 00:01:57,246 Jim took that lesson very much to heart. 29 00:01:57,250 --> 00:02:02,490 He played for four varsity sports in high school and 30 00:02:02,489 --> 00:02:03,659 three in college. 31 00:02:03,656 --> 00:02:09,696 In August of 1968, Jim was drafted into the Army. 32 00:02:09,696 --> 00:02:14,706 Within six months, he was trained as a medic and 33 00:02:14,701 --> 00:02:18,001 arrived in Vietnam. 34 00:02:18,004 --> 00:02:21,044 Right away, Jim poured all of himself into his duties 35 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,680 treating the sick and the wounded. 36 00:02:24,677 --> 00:02:28,147 Before long, all his fellow soldiers called him 37 00:02:28,147 --> 00:02:30,117 "Doc." 38 00:02:30,116 --> 00:02:33,886 On May 13, 1969, less than three months after he 39 00:02:33,887 --> 00:02:39,127 arrived, Jim was one of 89 men in Charlie Company to 40 00:02:39,125 --> 00:02:41,965 embark on a mission to secure a transportation 41 00:02:41,961 --> 00:02:46,271 route near Nui Yon. 42 00:02:46,266 --> 00:02:49,536 As Jim and his men jumped out of the helicopter, it 43 00:02:49,536 --> 00:02:52,076 quickly became clear that they were surrounded 44 00:02:52,071 --> 00:02:54,271 by enemy troops. 45 00:02:54,274 --> 00:02:57,774 Within minutes, two choppers were shot down, 46 00:02:57,777 --> 00:03:01,447 and one of his men was badly wounded in the 47 00:03:01,447 --> 00:03:04,047 middle of an open field. 48 00:03:04,050 --> 00:03:07,090 Jim did not hesitate. 49 00:03:07,086 --> 00:03:11,456 He blazed through 100 meters of enemy fire to 50 00:03:11,457 --> 00:03:15,767 carry the wounded and the soldier to safety. 51 00:03:15,762 --> 00:03:19,602 But this was only the first of many heroic deeds 52 00:03:19,599 --> 00:03:22,839 Jim would perform over the next 48 hours. 53 00:03:22,835 --> 00:03:28,075 After tending to the first wounded soldier, 54 00:03:28,074 --> 00:03:31,814 Jim joined a mission to advance toward the enemy, 55 00:03:31,811 --> 00:03:34,011 and advance they did. 56 00:03:34,013 --> 00:03:36,653 Before long, they were ambushed. 57 00:03:36,649 --> 00:03:40,349 Again, he ran into danger to rescue his men. 58 00:03:40,353 --> 00:03:44,193 As he cared for two soldiers, shrapnel from a 59 00:03:44,190 --> 00:03:47,930 rocket-propelled grenade slashed open the back of 60 00:03:47,927 --> 00:03:52,067 Jim's body from head to foot. 61 00:03:52,065 --> 00:03:54,465 Yet that terrible wound didn't stop Jim from 62 00:03:54,467 --> 00:03:58,137 pulling those two men to safety, nor did it stop 63 00:03:58,137 --> 00:04:01,077 him from answering the plea of another wounded 64 00:04:01,074 --> 00:04:07,014 comrade and carrying him to safety atop his own 65 00:04:07,013 --> 00:04:09,383 badly injured body. 66 00:04:09,382 --> 00:04:11,852 He was badly injured. 67 00:04:11,851 --> 00:04:16,761 And so it went, shot after shot, blast upon blast. 68 00:04:16,756 --> 00:04:20,396 As one of his comrades recalled, whoever called 69 00:04:20,393 --> 00:04:25,563 "medic" could immediately count on McCloughan. 70 00:04:25,565 --> 00:04:26,865 He's a brave guy. 71 00:04:26,866 --> 00:04:31,336 As day turned to dusk, nearly all of those who 72 00:04:31,337 --> 00:04:35,847 could and really, really had to make it back -- 73 00:04:35,842 --> 00:04:39,042 they were finally within their night defensive 74 00:04:39,045 --> 00:04:43,545 position, except for one soldier whose plea 75 00:04:43,549 --> 00:04:45,149 Jim could not ignore. 76 00:04:45,151 --> 00:04:47,921 Again, "Doc" did not hesitate. 77 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:54,130 He crawled through a rice paddy thick with steel rain. 78 00:04:54,127 --> 00:04:56,467 That means bullets all over the place. 79 00:04:56,462 --> 00:05:00,462 As soldiers watched him, they were sure that was 80 00:05:00,466 --> 00:05:03,906 the last time they would see "Doc." 81 00:05:03,903 --> 00:05:08,043 They thought that was the end of their friend, Jim. 82 00:05:08,041 --> 00:05:10,911 But after several minutes passed, Jim emerged from 83 00:05:10,910 --> 00:05:15,010 the smoke and fire carrying yet another soldier. 84 00:05:15,014 --> 00:05:19,854 He immediately badgered [bandaged] and fixed and worked, 85 00:05:19,852 --> 00:05:23,092 but he got the wounds fixed and lifted 86 00:05:23,089 --> 00:05:27,459 the soldier to a medevac helicopter. 87 00:05:27,460 --> 00:05:31,330 His lieutenant ordered Jim to get in, too. 88 00:05:31,330 --> 00:05:35,300 "Get in," he said, "get in." But Jim refused. 89 00:05:35,301 --> 00:05:38,671 He said, "You're going to need me here." 90 00:05:38,671 --> 00:05:42,371 As Jim now says, "I would have rather died on the 91 00:05:42,375 --> 00:05:46,975 battlefield than know that men died because they 92 00:05:46,979 --> 00:05:50,119 did not have a medic." 93 00:05:50,116 --> 00:05:53,416 Over the next 24 hours, Jim fired at enemy 94 00:05:53,419 --> 00:05:57,259 soldiers, suffered a bullet wound to his arm, 95 00:05:57,256 --> 00:06:00,356 and continued to race into gunfire to save 96 00:06:00,359 --> 00:06:03,699 more and more lives. 97 00:06:03,696 --> 00:06:07,266 And yet, as night approached again, after 98 00:06:07,266 --> 00:06:10,806 nearly two days of no food, no water, and no 99 00:06:10,803 --> 00:06:16,113 rest, Jim volunteered to hold a blinking light in 100 00:06:16,109 --> 00:06:21,479 an open field to signal for a supply drop. 101 00:06:21,481 --> 00:06:25,281 He would not yield, he would not rest, he would 102 00:06:25,284 --> 00:06:31,224 not stop, and he would not flinch in the face of sure 103 00:06:31,224 --> 00:06:35,794 death and definite danger. 104 00:06:35,795 --> 00:06:39,495 Though he was thousands of miles from home, it was as 105 00:06:39,499 --> 00:06:43,399 if the strength and pride of our whole nation was 106 00:06:43,402 --> 00:06:46,472 beating inside of Jim's heart. 107 00:06:46,472 --> 00:06:49,712 Jim did what his father had taught him -- he gave 108 00:06:49,709 --> 00:06:55,179 it his all and then he just kept giving. 109 00:06:55,181 --> 00:06:58,781 In those 48 hours, Jim rescued 10 American 110 00:06:58,785 --> 00:07:03,685 soldiers and tended to countless others. 111 00:07:03,689 --> 00:07:07,999 He was one of 32 men who fought until the end. 112 00:07:07,994 --> 00:07:09,864 They held their ground against more than 113 00:07:09,862 --> 00:07:11,762 2,000 enemy troops. 114 00:07:11,764 --> 00:07:16,634 Jim, I know I speak for every person here when I 115 00:07:16,636 --> 00:07:19,876 say that we are in awe of your actions 116 00:07:19,872 --> 00:07:21,572 and your bravery. 117 00:07:21,574 --> 00:07:24,014 But let me tell you one thing, and one more 118 00:07:24,010 --> 00:07:25,950 story about Jim. 119 00:07:25,945 --> 00:07:30,315 On the second day of that bloody fight, Jim found a 120 00:07:30,316 --> 00:07:35,556 few soldiers and a fellow soldier who had been shot 121 00:07:35,555 --> 00:07:38,025 badly in the stomach. 122 00:07:38,024 --> 00:07:40,894 He knew the soldier wouldn't make it if he 123 00:07:40,893 --> 00:07:44,193 flung him on the back, so he lifted him up and 124 00:07:44,197 --> 00:07:46,467 carried him in his arms. 125 00:07:46,465 --> 00:07:49,035 As Jim was carrying the soldier, a thought 126 00:07:49,035 --> 00:07:51,135 flashed through his mind. 127 00:07:51,137 --> 00:07:54,077 Although Jim had always been very close to his 128 00:07:54,073 --> 00:07:58,313 father, he realized that it was not since he had 129 00:07:58,311 --> 00:08:02,211 been a young boy that he had told his dad those 130 00:08:02,215 --> 00:08:07,355 three very simple but beautiful words: "I love you." 131 00:08:07,353 --> 00:08:10,423 In that moment, Jim offered up a prayer. 132 00:08:10,423 --> 00:08:13,963 He asked God, "If you get me out of this hell on 133 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:18,800 Earth so I can tell my dad I love him, I'll be the 134 00:08:18,798 --> 00:08:24,468 best coach and the best father you could ever ask for." 135 00:08:24,470 --> 00:08:28,570 As he prayed, a great peace came over him. 136 00:08:28,574 --> 00:08:32,884 And if it was God's will for him to live, he'd keep 137 00:08:32,879 --> 00:08:37,449 his promise to God as soon as he had the chance. 138 00:08:37,450 --> 00:08:41,020 Jim made it out of that hell on Earth. 139 00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:43,560 He made it; here he is. 140 00:08:43,556 --> 00:08:47,256 And the first thing he did when he arrived back on 141 00:08:47,260 --> 00:08:51,860 American soil was to say those beautiful words: 142 00:08:51,864 --> 00:08:53,334 "I love you, Dad. 143 00:08:53,332 --> 00:08:54,872 I love you." 144 00:08:54,867 --> 00:08:58,407 Jim said those words over and over again for the 145 00:08:58,404 --> 00:09:02,044 next 22 years until the last time he saw his 146 00:09:02,041 --> 00:09:06,181 father, the night before his dad passed on. 147 00:09:06,178 --> 00:09:09,048 Today, I'd venture to say his dad is the proudest 148 00:09:09,048 --> 00:09:10,588 father in heaven. 149 00:09:10,583 --> 00:09:14,153 Jim fought with all of the love and courage in his soul. 150 00:09:14,153 --> 00:09:17,793 He was prepared to lay down his life so his 151 00:09:17,790 --> 00:09:20,990 brothers-in-arms could live theirs. 152 00:09:20,993 --> 00:09:23,933 With us today are 10 of the men who fought 153 00:09:23,930 --> 00:09:29,040 alongside Jim, and five of those he saved. 154 00:09:29,035 --> 00:09:34,045 To Bill, Randy, Mike, Joe, Kent, Robert, John, 155 00:09:36,709 --> 00:09:42,219 Charles, Michael, Orestes -- thank you for your 156 00:09:42,214 --> 00:09:45,384 service and sacrifice. 157 00:09:45,384 --> 00:09:47,084 Stand up wherever you may be. 158 00:09:47,086 --> 00:09:48,686 Where are you? 159 00:09:48,688 --> 00:09:49,058 Where are you? 160 00:09:49,555 --> 00:10:00,265 (Applause.) 161 00:10:18,284 --> 00:10:18,984 Thank you, fellas. 162 00:10:18,985 --> 00:10:21,225 That's great. 163 00:10:21,220 --> 00:10:23,760 For over two centuries, our brave men and women in 164 00:10:23,756 --> 00:10:27,796 uniform have overcome tyranny, fascism, 165 00:10:27,793 --> 00:10:31,093 communism, and every threat to our freedom -- 166 00:10:31,097 --> 00:10:34,837 every single threat they've overcome. 167 00:10:34,834 --> 00:10:38,234 And we've overcome these threats because of titans 168 00:10:38,237 --> 00:10:43,377 like Jim whose spirit could never be conquered. 169 00:10:43,376 --> 00:10:48,346 That's what this award is, and Jim's life represents 170 00:10:48,347 --> 00:10:53,787 so well: America's unbreakable spirit. 171 00:10:53,786 --> 00:10:58,856 It's been 48 years since Jim's battle in Vietnam. 172 00:10:58,858 --> 00:11:03,098 He is now a husband, a father, and a grandfather. 173 00:11:03,095 --> 00:11:06,295 He coached high school football, wrestling, and 174 00:11:06,298 --> 00:11:11,208 baseball for 38 years, just like he said he would. 175 00:11:11,203 --> 00:11:15,073 And he brought together every member he could find 176 00:11:15,074 --> 00:11:18,014 of his beloved Charlie Company. 177 00:11:18,010 --> 00:11:21,810 To many people in this room, Specialist Five 178 00:11:21,814 --> 00:11:27,484 McCloughan has always been their friend, "Jim." 179 00:11:27,486 --> 00:11:29,786 To others, he's been "Coach." 180 00:11:29,789 --> 00:11:33,159 To those who bravely served with him in 181 00:11:33,159 --> 00:11:38,269 Vietnam, he's still called their "Doc." 182 00:11:38,264 --> 00:11:41,564 To his parents Scotty and Margaret, both watching 183 00:11:41,567 --> 00:11:45,907 from heaven, he will always be their son. 184 00:11:45,905 --> 00:11:49,805 But today, [to] 320 million grateful American 185 00:11:49,809 --> 00:11:55,449 hearts, Private McCloughan carries one immortal title 186 00:11:55,448 --> 00:11:59,688 -- and that title is "hero." 187 00:11:59,685 --> 00:12:03,755 Specialist Five McCloughan: We honor you. 188 00:12:03,756 --> 00:12:05,396 We salute you. 189 00:12:05,391 --> 00:12:09,061 And with God as your witness, we thank you for 190 00:12:09,061 --> 00:12:12,401 what you did for all of us. 191 00:12:12,398 --> 00:12:16,438 Now I would like the military aide to come 192 00:12:16,435 --> 00:12:18,975 forward and read the citation. 193 00:12:18,971 --> 00:12:40,861 Military Aide: The President of the United 194 00:12:40,860 --> 00:12:43,700 States of America, authorized by Act of 195 00:12:43,696 --> 00:12:48,636 Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded in the name of 196 00:12:48,634 --> 00:12:52,534 Congress the Medal of Honor to Private First 197 00:12:52,538 --> 00:12:54,738 Class James C. McCloughan, 198 00:12:54,740 --> 00:12:58,110 United States Army, for conspicuous 199 00:12:58,110 --> 00:13:01,810 gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life 200 00:13:01,814 --> 00:13:04,784 above and beyond the call of duty. 201 00:13:04,783 --> 00:13:07,653 Private First Class [James] C. McCloughan 202 00:13:07,653 --> 00:13:09,293 distinguished himself by acts of 203 00:13:09,288 --> 00:13:12,888 gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life 204 00:13:12,892 --> 00:13:15,962 above and beyond the call of duty from May 13th 205 00:13:15,961 --> 00:13:20,931 through 15th, 1969, while serving as a combat medic 206 00:13:20,933 --> 00:13:24,703 with Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry, 207 00:13:24,703 --> 00:13:29,673 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. 208 00:13:36,081 --> 00:13:38,621 The company air assaulted into an area near 209 00:13:38,617 --> 00:13:41,357 Tam Ky and Nui Yon Hill. 210 00:13:41,353 --> 00:13:45,053 On May 13th, with complete disregard for his life, he 211 00:13:45,057 --> 00:13:48,997 ran 100 meters in an open field through heavy fire 212 00:13:48,994 --> 00:13:51,634 to rescue a comrade too injured to move and 213 00:13:51,630 --> 00:13:53,970 carried him to safety. 214 00:13:53,966 --> 00:13:57,036 That same day, 2nd Platoon was ordered to search the 215 00:13:57,036 --> 00:13:59,876 area near Nui Yon Hill when the platoon was 216 00:13:59,872 --> 00:14:03,542 ambushed by a large North Vietnamese Army force and 217 00:14:03,542 --> 00:14:06,282 sustained heavy casualties. 218 00:14:06,278 --> 00:14:08,918 With complete disregard for his life and personal 219 00:14:08,914 --> 00:14:12,214 safety, Private First Class McCloughan led two 220 00:14:12,218 --> 00:14:14,958 Americans into the safety of a trench while being 221 00:14:14,954 --> 00:14:18,754 wounded by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade. 222 00:14:18,757 --> 00:14:21,597 He ignored a direct order to stay back, and braved 223 00:14:21,594 --> 00:14:23,834 an enemy assault while moving into the 224 00:14:23,829 --> 00:14:27,129 "kill zone" on four more occasions to extract 225 00:14:27,132 --> 00:14:29,102 wounded comrades. 226 00:14:29,101 --> 00:14:32,641 He treated the injured, prepared the evacuation, 227 00:14:32,638 --> 00:14:34,378 and though bleeding heavily from shrapnel 228 00:14:34,373 --> 00:14:37,443 wounds on his head and entire body, refused 229 00:14:37,443 --> 00:14:40,143 evacuation to safety in order to remain at the 230 00:14:40,145 --> 00:14:42,985 battle site with his fellow soldiers who were 231 00:14:42,982 --> 00:14:46,052 heavily outnumbered by the North Vietnamese Army forces. 232 00:14:48,487 --> 00:14:51,587 On May 14th, the platoon was again ordered to move 233 00:14:51,590 --> 00:14:53,960 out towards Nui Yon Hill. 234 00:14:53,959 --> 00:14:55,899 Private First Class McCloughan was wounded a 235 00:14:55,894 --> 00:14:59,334 second time by small arms fire and shrapnel from a 236 00:14:59,331 --> 00:15:02,171 rocket-propelled grenade while rendering aid to two 237 00:15:02,167 --> 00:15:05,067 soldiers in an open rice paddy. 238 00:15:05,070 --> 00:15:08,140 In the final phases of the attack, two companies from 239 00:15:08,140 --> 00:15:11,440 2nd North Vietnamese Army Division and an element of 240 00:15:11,443 --> 00:15:14,913 700 soldiers from a Viet Cong regiment descended 241 00:15:14,913 --> 00:15:19,153 upon Charlie Company's position on three sides. 242 00:15:19,151 --> 00:15:21,551 Private First Class McCloughan, again with 243 00:15:21,553 --> 00:15:24,253 complete disregard for his life, went into the 244 00:15:24,256 --> 00:15:27,026 crossfire numerous times throughout the battle to 245 00:15:27,026 --> 00:15:29,326 extract the wounded soldiers, while also 246 00:15:29,328 --> 00:15:31,468 fighting the enemy. 247 00:15:31,463 --> 00:15:33,703 His relentless and courageous actions 248 00:15:33,699 --> 00:15:36,399 inspired and motivated his comrades to fight for 249 00:15:36,402 --> 00:15:38,772 their survival. 250 00:15:38,771 --> 00:15:41,311 When supplies ran low, Private First Class 251 00:15:41,307 --> 00:15:43,847 McCloughan volunteered to hold a blinking strobe 252 00:15:43,842 --> 00:15:46,142 light in an open area as a marker for a 253 00:15:46,145 --> 00:15:48,845 nighttime resupply drop. 254 00:15:48,847 --> 00:15:51,447 He remained steadfast while bullets landed all 255 00:15:51,450 --> 00:15:53,820 around him and rocket-propelled grenades 256 00:15:53,819 --> 00:15:57,559 flew over his prone, exposed body. 257 00:15:57,556 --> 00:16:00,096 During the morning darkness of May 15th, 258 00:16:00,092 --> 00:16:02,492 Private First Class McCloughan knocked out a 259 00:16:02,494 --> 00:16:05,364 rocket-propelled grenade position with a grenade, 260 00:16:05,364 --> 00:16:08,404 fought and eliminated enemy soldiers, treated 261 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,470 numerous casualties, kept two critically-wounded 262 00:16:11,470 --> 00:16:14,310 soldiers alive through the night, and organized the 263 00:16:14,306 --> 00:16:18,546 dead and wounded for evacuation at daylight. 264 00:16:18,544 --> 00:16:21,314 His timely and courageous actions were instrumental 265 00:16:21,313 --> 00:16:24,383 in saving the lives of his fellow soldiers. 266 00:16:24,383 --> 00:16:26,153 Private First Class McCloughan's personal 267 00:16:26,151 --> 00:16:29,291 heroism, professional competence, and devotion 268 00:16:29,288 --> 00:16:31,528 to duty are in keeping with the highest 269 00:16:31,523 --> 00:16:34,823 traditions of the military service and reflect great 270 00:16:34,827 --> 00:16:38,267 credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the 271 00:16:38,263 --> 00:16:41,103 United States Army. 272 00:17:04,022 --> 00:17:44,332 (Applause.) 273 00:18:00,913 --> 00:18:02,813 Male Speaker: Bless us now oh Lord as we depart 274 00:18:02,815 --> 00:18:09,055 our separate ways, may the memory of this occasion, 275 00:18:09,054 --> 00:18:14,964 may our participation here unite us in compassion for service to 276 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:19,600 all the members of our families, our military, our country. 277 00:18:19,598 --> 00:18:25,338 Strengthen us in faith and renew us in spirit and send us forth 278 00:18:25,337 --> 00:18:27,377 with your peace. Amen. 279 00:18:32,644 --> 00:18:33,344 The President: Jim, thank you. 280 00:18:33,846 --> 00:18:34,446 God bless you. 281 00:18:34,446 --> 00:18:35,146 God bless your family. 282 00:18:35,681 --> 00:18:38,051 God bless the United States of America. 283 00:18:38,550 --> 00:18:38,950 Thank you, Jim. 284 00:18:40,018 --> 00:18:46,128 (Applause.)