'I wear it for everybody': Milwaukee VA hosts meet-and-greet with Medal of Honor recipient
CBS 58 MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Medal of Honor is the highest decoration a member of the armed forces can receive, for acts that go above and beyond the call of duty.
March 25 is National Medal of Honor Day, and people at Milwaukee's VA Medical Center got to meet one of those recipients.
Gary Wetzel is a patient at the Milwaukee VA. He was a gunner on a helicopter in Vietnam. After coming under fire at a landing site, Wetzel was hit by rockets and seriously wounded, even losing his left arm.
Despite his injuries, he fought off enemy troops and rendered aid to his comrades, saving their lives. He says he was just doing his job.
"I look at it, trying to do the job and save lives and doing the best I can," Wetzel said. "They awarded me with this blue ribbon and I'm very, very grateful today, that I have the privilege to wear it, and I wear it for everybody."
The first Medals of Honor were handed out by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. More than 3,000 have been awarded since then.
