Veterans' Day

Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham is set to posthumously receive the Medal of Honor, one of only two awarded for service in the Iraq war.

Even the official citations for the Medal of Honor make for compelling reading. Here's the citation for Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii:

With complete disregard for his personal safety, Second Lieutenant Inouye crawled up the treacherous slope to within five yards of the nearest machine gun and hurled two grenades, destroying the emplacement. Before the enemy could retaliate, he stood up and neutralized a second machine gun nest. Although wounded by a sniper’s bullet, he continued to engage other hostile positions at close range until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm. Despite the intense pain, he refused evacuation and continued to direct his platoon until enemy resistance was broken and his men were again deployed in defensive positions.

Wow!

You can also read up on Tibor Rubin, a Holocaust survivor who later became a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the Korean War.

Update: You should also read about Desmond Doss (WWII) and Tom Bennett (Vietnam), conscientious objectors who were awarded the Medal of Honor.