Photo By Rochelle Smolinski | ADM Thomas B. Fargo, 2012 Medal of Honor Convention Co-Chairman, David J. McIntyre,...... read more read more
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HONOLULU - White stars on a blue ribbon is a neck order few military personnel wear. It is an award for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty, a military award held in the highest regard.
The Medal of Honor draped proudly about the necks of more than 50 military veterans attending the events of the Medal of Honor Convention Oct. 1 through 6.
One event included a stone dedication ceremony honoring 32 Medal of Honor recipients interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Wednesday.
Retired Col. Gene Castagnetti, director of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific was pleased with the turnout honoring the active and deceased members of the prestigious military award.
“I think it was an awesome ceremony and a great outpouring of the Honolulu community,” Castagnetti said.
The keynote speaker, retired Navy Capt. Gerald L. Coffee, moved the audience with his story about maintaining the chain of command while held captive in a prisoner of war camp in North Vietnam. He described the Morse reminiscent tap-code fellow prisoners used to communicate and performed several tap-code salutations for the gathering. He rapped out the codes for “G.B.,” “God Bless;” “G.N.,” “Good night;” and “G.B.A.,” “God Bless America” on the podium before him and also tapped out “A-M-E-R-I-C-A” to a standing ovation.
Coffee modestly told the crowd he had been in the right place at the right time and insisted what he did was nothing special; there is a hero in all of us.
“We are all equipped to be heroes,” Coffee said.
Staff Sgt. Monica Preston, a clarinet player in the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band, from Cleveland, Ohio, has served seven years in the Marine Corps. She performed in the musical numbers of the program. Preston said the ceremony was deeply moving and she was amazed to see so many Medal of Honor recipients in one place.
If Preston had one thing to say to one of the fallen Medal of Honor recipients in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, she would tell the service member she’s “Not quite sure words can actually describe it. They gave their fullest measure of devotion to America. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. All of America thanks you; you are not forgotten, you’ll always be remembered in our thoughts, hearts and prayers.”
The Medal of Honor Convention will continue to host events through Saturday. Today, there is a Downtown Honolulu Block Party at Murphy’s Bar and Grill from 6:30 to 11 p.m. On Saturday, there is a book signing at the Hale Koa Hotel from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a Patriot Award Dinner at the Battleship Missouri Memorial from 4:30 to 9:30 pm.
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 11.08.2012 17:34 |
| Story ID: | 97520 |
| Location: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Hometown: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 79 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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