Join Founding Forward to hear from Medal of Honor recipient Dwight W. Birdwell about his extraordinary acts of heroism and bravery in Vietnam. Specialist Five Dwight W. Birdwell was born in Texas but grew up in a Cherokee community in Oklahoma. He joined the U.S. Army after graduation and served in Vietnam as a member of the Fourth Cavalry tank unit from 1966 – 1968. He returned to Oklahoma with a Bronze Star, two Silver Stars, and two Purple Hearts for actions in battle, including during the first day of the Tet Offensive in 1968. In addition to serving in private practice in Oklahoma City, he became a member of the Judicial Appeals Tribunal (Supreme Court) of the Cherokee Nation, serving as Chief Justice from 1995 – 1996 and again from 1998 – 1999.
In 2022, Specialist Five Birdwell became the 33rd Native American soldier to receive the Medal of Honor for “acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Troop C, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division, in the Republic of Vietnam on Jan. 31, 1968.”
Established in 1861 during the Civil War under President Abraham Lincoln, the Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest award for military valor in action. It stands as a symbol of the values that each Recipient displayed in the moments that mattered—bravery, courage, sacrifice, integrity, a deep love of country, and a desire to always do what is right. Founding Forward’s Valley Forge campus is home to The Medal of Honor Grove, a 42-acre natural woodland dedicated as a living memorial to the 3,500+ Medal of Honor recipients.
This program will be hosted in-person at Founding Forward’s Valley Forge Campus, 1601 Valley Forge Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460 in the Martha Washington Building.
Reception: 6:00pm
Program: 6:30pm
End of Program: 7:30pm
Streaming: Unless requested otherwise by the speaker, Founding Forward programs are streamed via YouTube. Click here to find the livestream (live at 6:30pm the day of the event). Virtual viewing does not require registration.
Speaker:
Founding Forward’s Library Hours are humanities-based programs that focus on a variety of topics including history, art, architecture, science, and travel. These programs focus on authors and recently published books.
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