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"Immortal Valor: The Black Medal of Honor Winners of World War II" delves into the actions of seven great men and why they were denied their award for more than 40 years.
Elizabeth Davis Special to Boonville Daily News On Jan. 13, 1997, President Bill Clinton had the honor of presenting seven Medals of Honor, six posthumously, to African American heroes of World War II. During World War II, 433 men were awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration for valor in combat. None of them were African American. In 1993, the US Army commissioned an investigation into racial discrimination in the awarding of medals. It was recommended that ten black World War II veterans be awarded the Medal of Honor. Seven of them were approved, including one...
DAV By Matt Saintsing After completing Officer Candidate School, World War II veteran Vernon Baker led troops in German-occupied Italy. His courage in spearheading an attack on an enemy stronghold resulted in him belatedly receiving the Medal of Honor. Photo credit: AP PHOTO/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW, JESSE TINSLEY, FILE How a DAV member and courageous warrior became the first living African American World War II Medal of Honor recipient Of the seven Black World War II Army veterans to receive the Medal of Honor in 1997, Vernon Baker was the sole survivor. More than half a century had passed bet...