The Medal of Honor Rotunda officially has its 22nd inductee, following a ceremony welcoming in Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam veteran Kenneth David.
The rotunda, found in the atrium of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Headquarters on Fort Campbell, holds the names and pictures of the division’s now 22 recipients of the nation’s highest award for valor, and it was filled with guests there to recognize and honor David.
The 75-year-old David is a native of Ohio, who was drafted into the Army in 1969 and received his basic training at Fort Campbell before being sent to Vietnam in 1970. Later that same year, then Private First Class David would perform a stunning act of heroism.
He was serving as a radio-telephone operator with Company D, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division near Fire Support Base Maureen in Vietnam when his unit came under intense enemy attack. In response, David handed off his radio and charged the enemy line. Despite being wounded, he repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire to shield his injured comrades, drawing enemy attention away from the wounded and med-evac helicopters. Running low on ammunition, he continued the fight with hand grenades and refused to retreat.
During the ceremony Tuesday, David told the crowd that he is dedicated to honoring and helping his fellow veterans, and he thanks all of them very much.
In January, David was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Joe Biden during a historic White House ceremony, recognizing his extraordinary heroism in the face of what could have been the ultimate sacrifice.