A family walks down the pathway toward the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier at Patriots Point, surrounded by American flags and calm waters.
A family walks down the pathway toward the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier at Patriots Point, surrounded by American flags and calm waters.
Back to news
Share
news

The Nation's Newest Medal of Honor Recipient: Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry

Date

Ranger Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry (Photo US Army)

The second living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the war in Afghanistan received his medal in ceremonies at the White House yesterday, 12 July. The new recipient is Army Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry who was involved in combat with the Taliban.

President Barack Obama shakes the prosthetic hand of U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Leroy Arthur Petry of Santa Fe, N.M., who received the Medal of Honor for his valor in Afghanistan in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 12, 2011. Petry lost his right hand as he tossed aside a live grenade during a 2008 firefight in Afghanistan, sparing the lives of his fellow Army Rangers. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) (Charles Dharapak)

Petry, a native of  Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the ninth service member to be awarded the Medal of Honor for combat actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The first seven recipients were awarded posthumously. Petry is the father of four who now serves with the 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Ga., as a liaison for wounded soldiers. He is described by his fellow Rangers as being responsible for saving their lives, during a May 2008 firefight in Paktia, Afghanistan. Petry was shot through both legs and lost his right hand.

Department of Defense News clip on Petry.

C-47 Chinook helicopter lands at the completion of an air assault mission in Afghanistan’s Paktya province. (Photo US Army)

Read telling stories from his family in Santa Fe here...

Here his father talks about his son.

Army news account of Petry here...

Watch his interview on NBC here... Video: Petry:  ‘Doing my best to represent’