I’ve never felt so safe in my life, in a ballroom with 1500 Marines. Nor have I felt so humbled or blessed. What an amazing group of men and women. I have to thank Leland McDonough for inviting me again this year, what an honor to be there in the company of heroes.
This is wounded Marine Lance Cpl. Evan Reichenthal, who received the Lt. Col. William F. Degan Semper Fidelis Award. Natalie Sherman wrote a terrific piece about him in today’s Boston Herald
Medal of Honor recipient Harvey Barnum received the Ted Williams Globe & Anchor award
Learn more about Harvey Barmun here.
For me, the highlight of the event was a speech by Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly, the top military advisor to the Secretary of Defense
During his moving and emotional remarks, Lt. Gen. Kelly told the story of Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter and Cpl. Jonathan T. Yale. I was shocked to hear their names, because Bruce McQuain had told us about the incredibly bravery they showed while on watch, saving 50 fellow Marines, at the cost of their own lives. Bruce did this during our weekly tribute to the troops called Someone You Should Know back in May of this year. Their story is amazing, to say the least.