President Trump awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on Wednesday to retired Marine Sgt. Maj. John Canley of California, a Vietnam War veteran who saved 20 fellow Marines despite being wounded several times during an intense seven-day battle in 1968.
In an East Room ceremony attended by many former members of his Alpha Company, Mr. Canley, 80, was decorated by the president for his heroic actions during the Battle of Hue during the communists’ Tet Offensive.
“America is the greatest force for peace, justice and freedom the world has ever known because of you and people like you,” Mr. Trump told Mr. Canley as he received one of several standing ovations.
When Mr. Trump asked him how he stays in such good shape, Mr. Canley told him, “I still work out, sir.”
A native of Arkansas who enlisted in the military using false papers at age 15, Mr. Canley served in Vietnam for more than five years. During the Tet Offensive, his company of the First Battalion, First Marines Regiment was ordered to take back Hue from communist forces.
He took command of the company after his commanding officer was severely wounded, and led the company under fire into the city, where the Marines engaged in house-to-house combat. Despite being wounded several times, then-Gunnery Sgt. Canley rescued wounded fellow Marines and twice scaled a hospital wall in full view of the enemy to help wounded soldiers.
The president said he personally saved more than 20 Marines during “seven straight days of unrelenting combat.”
“This is always one of my favorite events. I like brave people,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Canley retired from the Marine Corps in 1981 and now lives in Oxnard, California. His three grown children and two grandchildren attended the event at the White House.
He is the 300th Marine to receive the Medal of Honor.
Mr. Canley also has received the Navy Cross, as well as two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. In 2014, one of his fellow service members contacted Rep. Julia Brownley, California Democrat, to request that she recommend Mr. Canley’s medal be upgraded to the Medal of Honor — the highest military honor awarded by the U.S. government.
The lawmaker’s office submitted the documentation requesting that the Department of Defense review Mr. Canley’s records. Defense Secretary James Mattis agreed to the request last December, and Ms. Brownley authored legislation to waive the five-year time limit to make Mr. Canley eligible to receive the medal. The president signed her bill into law in January.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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