Congress authorizes Medal of Honor for 5 soldiers and awards upgrade for 4 Black Hawk Down troops – ArmyTimes.com

The nations highest award for valor the Medal of Honor may be given to five soldiers after President Joe Bidens signed the 2021 defense policy bill. And four from the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, known also as the Black Hawk Down incident, could see their awards upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross.

In the bill, Congress formally waived time limits on presenting the awards a final administrative step necessary for Biden to present them.

Of the five potential Medal of Honor recipients, three fought in the Korean War, and two fought in the Vietnam War. The list of potential upgrades includes:

In addition to the Medals of Honor, Congress also waived time requirements for four soldiers involved in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu to receive the Distinguished Service Cross. Pending Army Secretary Christine Wormuths approval of the awards, the four soldiers now eligible to receive the Distinguished Service Cross are:

The potential upgrades to the Armys second-highest valor award come on the heels of 58 Silver Star upgrades presented to veterans of the Black Hawk Down engagement after a comprehensive review earlier this year.

All awards authorized by Congress will require final approval from the appropriate authorities.

Davis Winkie is a staff reporter covering the Army. He originally joined Military Times as a reporting intern in 2020. Before journalism, Davis worked as a military historian. He is also a human resources officer in the Army National Guard.

See the original post:

Congress authorizes Medal of Honor for 5 soldiers and awards upgrade for 4 Black Hawk Down troops - ArmyTimes.com