A few years back, a smartass asked me if I could name the last person to receive a Medal of Honor. He was trying to make some point about the futility of war... blah, blah, blah. I told him that I couldn't name the person, but I bet he couldn't either. Sure enough, he couldn't. So I made it "easier." Name anyone who won a Medal of Honor. Still nothing. I named Alvin York, Audie Murphy, Douglas MacArthur, Roy Benavidez, Bob Kerry, Gary Gordon, and Randy Shurghart. Not bad, but still a drop in the bucket... They are not forgotten by those who care.Our War in Iraq has produced one Medal of Honor recipient -- posthumously. Sgt 1st Class Paul Smith, of the US Army, Engineer Corps, assigned to 2nd Plt., B Co., 11th Engineer Bn., 3rd Inf. Division. His unit was constructing a prison facility near the Baghdad International Airport when it was attacked. Smith took control of an M-2 .50 caliber Machine Gun and killed 50 of the enemy. He was in constant danger and took return fire from numerous automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades. He was killed when he took a hit to the head. It is believed his actions saved the lives of over 100 fellow GIs, many of them wounded.
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