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Medal of Honor recipient being honored at Yankee Air Museum

Posted at 11:07 AM, Aug 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-10 11:07:04-04

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — A Vietnam War helicopter pilot from Michigan who recently received the Medal of Honor is being honored at the Yankee Air Museum.

The Ann Arbor News reports several organizations are involved in Saturday’s planned celebration at the museum near Lt. Col. Charles Kettles’ hometown of Ypsilanti.

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell will introduce the 86-year-old and a letter from U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow will be read by Bill Vollano, who launched a campaign in 2012 as coordinator of the local Veterans History Project to recognize Kettles with the Medal of Honor.

160718113950-medal-of-honor-lt-col-charles-kettles-obama-sot-atthishour-00010218-exlarge-teasePresident Barack Obama last month awarded the nation’s highest military honor to Kettles, who led helicopter flights carrying reinforcements to U.S. soldiers and evacuated the wounded after they were ambushed in combat operations near Duc Pho in May 1967.