Photo By Cpl. Brian Bekkala | U.S. Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient Col. Jay Vargas (retired), addresses the...... read more read more
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Camp Pendleton held a ceremony to rename the 11 Area Post Office to the Camp Pendleton Medal of Honor Post Office on Oct 17.
President Barack Obama passed legislation to rename the post office in June 2016.
Medal of Honor recipient, retired Col. Jay Vargas attended the ceremony to help dedicate the post office to those who have received the Medal of Honor.
“Today really makes me humble any time that you can receive the recognition that we living recipients are receiving today,” said Vargas, for his actions in Vietnam in 1968.
Vargas won the award because of his actions in the village of Dai Do, when he led his men through an open rice paddy field while under intense enemy mortar fire, rockets, and artillery fire and obtained a foothold in two hedgerows on the enemy perimeter.
Brigadier General Kevin Killea, Commanding General Marine Corps Installations – West, Marine Core Base Camp Pendleton, also spoke at the ceremony.
“This was a great day when Americans and patriots can get together and acknowledge those who have given their very best effort and then some and many who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the service of this nation,” said Brigadier General Kevin Killea.
Congressman Issa, who proposed legislation for the renaming of the post office, also attended the ceremony.
“When I began looking at Camp Pendleton it would’ve been easy to pick the name of any of those great Marines who have deployed particularly those who have earned our highest award, but I knew that would be inappropriate with so many people and so little post offices,” said Issa.
The Medal of Honor Post Office services both military and civilians aboard Camp Pendleton.
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2016 20:45 |
| Story ID: | 212236 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 79 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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