WASHINGTON D.C. — The Medal of Honor is given out every year to members of the armed forces who show great bravery and risk their own lives while going beyond the call of duty.

This year, two Ohioans fit that bill.

What You Need To Know

  • With just over two weeks to go in his Presidency, Joe Biden is recognizing a pair of Ohio natives with the most prestigious award given out to members of the U.S. Armed Forces

  • Of the seven Medal of Honor Recipients this year, two of them come from the Buckeye State

  • Private First Class Kenneth J. David received the Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam in 1970

  • Army Corporal Fred B. McGee received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his service in Korea in 1952

Army Corporal Fred B. McGee received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his service in Korea in 1952. According to the White House, McGee commanded his squad unit after its leader and several others were wounded during an assault on an enemy post. He eventually had to order his unit to withdraw, but he voluntarily stayed behind to evacuate the wounded and dead, despite being injured with facial wounds.

Meanwhile, Private First Class Kenneth J. David served in Vietnam in 1970. David is getting the medal for securing a landing zone that allowed casualties to be evacuated while working as a radio-telephone operator. According to the White House, when David’s company came under an intense attack that caused numerous casualties, he took up a position to draw enemy fire away from his comrades to allow Medevac helicopters to land, even though he was wounded.

David is a retired heating and cooling technician with Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 396 in Youngstown. Tim Callion, a friend and former colleague said he’s known David for more than 30 years and only found out what he had done in the military a few years back. He said he’s not the type of guy to boast about himself, in fact, Callion said David is one of the most selfless guys he knows.

“He's a great guy," Callion said. “You know, just his story of what he did when he served our country is tremendous in and of itself, but then he carried on that tradition, as a veteran, when he came back to the community, and he's always been hands-on trying to help other veterans who weren’t as fortunate as what he was.”

Callion said David has a mission to help as many veterans as he can before he passes away. He said David volunteers often with the Disabled American Veterans, Trumbull County Chapter 11, in Warren as well as several nursing homes in the community.

Callion said this is an incredible achievement for both men and that Ohio is very proud.

“We are so proud of the achievements of our brother…To just know him is an honor,” Callion said. “To be able to rub shoulders with somebody who was so selfless with his actions that he performed as a soldier. Warren, Ohio is proud of Ken David.”

McGee, who was from Bloomingdale in far eastern Ohio, died in 2020.