Garden Grove SEAL awarded Medal of Honor

You might have missed this story. It was a busy day and stuff like this tends to get pushed aside for the "important" news.

Full story (here).

Dabbing her eyes and leaning against a somber President Bush, Sally Monsoor listened as the story of her son Michael's heroism was read to a silent East Room audience. Her husband, George Monsoor, stood by her side.

Moments later the president handed the Monsoors the Medal of Honor, the highest award the commander in chief can confer on a member of the military. The posthumous award was given to Monsoor for the Garden Grove SEAL's brave and selfless decision to protect others from a grenade's deadly explosion with his own body.

Monsoor is the second member of the Navy and the fourth member of the military to receive the Medal of Honor for outstanding acts of courage during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"America owes you a debt that can never be repaid," Bush said as the Monsoors fought back tears. They stood on a stage ringed in pink flowers before an audience of more than 200 soldiers, friends, family and lawmakers. At one point as the citation describing her son's bravery was being read, Sally Monsoor put her arm around Bush's waist as he comforted her.

After a prayer, Bush spoke about Monsoor as an asthmatic little boy who hated going to kindergarten and wore outfits that clashed. Then he spoke about him as a man who grew up to be a hero.