WHAT:

St. Pete Beach Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient To Be Honored by Postal Service.
The Limited Edition Medal of Honor: Vietnam War Forever Stamps were dedicated on May 25 during a ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC.  Customers may purchase the stamps at usps.com/stamps, the Postal Store, at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) and at Post Offices nationwide or visit ebay.com/stamps.

WHO:

Army Command Sergeant Major Gary Littrell, St. Pete Beach Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient
Nancy Rettinhouse, Postal Service Suncoast District Manager
Stephanie Hartman, St. Petersburg Postmaster
St. Pete Beach Mayor Maria Lowe
St. Pete Beach Vice Mayor Terri Finnerty
St. Pete Beach Commissioner Rick Falkenstein
St. Pete Beach Commissioner Greg Premer

WHEN:

4:00 p.m., Thursday, June 4, 2015

WHERE:

St. Pete Beach Community Center
7701 Boca Ciega Drive
St. Pete Beach, FL 33706

BACKGROUND

Please “click” Citation/Video for more information on Medal of Honor Recipient Sergeant First Class Gary Littrell

The Nation’s Most Prestigious Military Decoration
The Medal of Honor is our nation’s most prestigious military decoration. It is awarded by the president of the United States on behalf of Congress to members of the armed services who distinguish themselves through “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States. The Medal of Honor traces its origins to the first year of the Civil War, when Congress saw the need for a formal means of recognizing or rewarding acts of heroism. In 1861, James W. Grimes, a senator from Iowa, introduced a bill to “promote the efficiency of the Navy” by distributing “medals of honor.” President Lincoln signed the bill into law on Dec. 21, 1861. Lincoln signed a similar measure on behalf of the U.S. Army on July 12, 1862, and the country had two Medals of Honor: one for sailors and one for soldiers.

Three Versions of the Medal of Honor
There are now three similar, yet distinct, versions of the Medal of Honor, one for each Military Department (Army, Navy and Air Force). The medals are similar in that each consists of a variation of a five-pointed star worn around the neck on a light blue ribbon. The Navy version is awarded to those serving in the Navy and Marine Corps, and during times of war, to members of the Coast Guard. The Air Force, which was established as an independent department in 1947, adopted its distinctive Medal of Honor in 1965. The first presentation of the U.S. Air Force’s medal took place in 1967 during the Vietnam War.