President Barack Obama describes the heroism of Army

President Barack Obama describes the heroism of Army Spc. 4 Donald P. Sloat just before posthumously awarding him the Medal of Honor in the East Room of the White House, Sept. 15, 2014. Sloat distinguished himself while serving as a machine gunner with the 1st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of Jan. 17, 1970, Sloat's squad moved up a hill in file formation, when the lead Soldier tripped a wire attached to a hand grenade booby-trap, set up by enemy forces. When the grenade rolled down the hill toward Sloat, he picked up the grenade to throw it away from his fellow Soldiers. After initially attempting to throw the grenade, Sloat realized that detonation was imminent, and that two or three men near him would be killed or seriously injured if he couldn't shield them from the blast. In an instant, Sloat chose to draw the grenade to his body, shielding his squad members from the blast, and saving their lives. He was killed in action Jan. 17, 1970, a month before his 21st birthday. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bernardo Fuller/Released)