Obama awards Vietnam veteran posthumous Medal of Honour 40 years after heroic death in secret war.

An Air Force chief master sergeant who died saving three wounded comrades from enemy fire in Laos over forty years ago is being posthumously honoured by President Barack Obama.
The White House says Obama will present the medal to survivors of Richard Etchberger on September 21.

[CENTER][IMG]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/04/article-1309009-0B0A1948000005DC-433_233x423.jpg[/IMG]
[FONT="Georgia"]Hero: Etchberger gave his life to make sure his injured
comrades were safely on the helicopter in Laos[/CENTER][/font]

Sgt Etchberge's heroic actions were not recognised at the time because the Americans were not supposed to have troops in Laos.

According to the White House, the Pennsylvania native showed 'conspicuous gallantry' when he deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire to help his wounded comrades into rescue slings so they could be airlifted to safety.

Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., worked to secure authorisation for the medal in a bill signed into law by President George W. Bush in October 2008.

He said, 'Chief Master Sergeant Etchberger fought and died heroically, and saved the lives of many of his fellow men. The Medal of Honor is reserved for extraordinary acts of valor in combat, and Chief Etchberger’s actions were the very definition of such extraordinary valour.'

Etchberger was one of only 19 men stationed at Phou Pha Thi - known as Lima Site 85 - a secret radar base in the neutral country of Laos used to spy on Northern Vietnam.

From the base, Etchberger and his men were able to pinpoint hundreds of bombing targets for the US military - a success rate later recognised as 27 per cent of all air strike missions carried out in the area by the US.

But in the early hours of March 11, 1968 North Vietnamese commandos stormed the radar station from surrounding cliffs and Etchberger led several men to a ledge where they held position until a rescue helicopter arrived. By 3am, Etchberger and six others were the only surviving Americans out of the original number.

When a helicopter arrived to take them to safety Etchberger deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire to place his three surviving wounded comrades in rescue slings, saving their lives. As the helicopter lifted the party to a base in North Thailand, Etchberger was hit by armour piercing bullets and later died of his injuries.

Etchberger’s sons, Cory Etchberger, Richard Etchberger and Steve Wilson will join the president at the White House on September 21 to commemorate their father.

[CENTER][IMG]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/04/article-0-0AFDD5A6000005DC-833_468x286.jpg[/IMG]
[FONT="Georgia"]Award: Barack Obama has awarded Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Richard Etchberger
a Medal of Honour, 40 years after his death in Laos.[/center][/font]

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