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Medal of Honor recipient to speak at Illinois State Fair

Posted at 6:00 AM, Aug 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-07 06:00:46-04

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A Medal of Honor recipient will give the keynote speech at this year’s Illinois State Fair Veterans and Gold Star Family Day.

President Donald Trump presented James McCloughan (mih-KLOO’-uhn) of South Haven, Michigan, with the Medal of Honor at the White House on July 31. The Army medic saved wounded soldiers during a Vietnam War battle despite his own serious wounds. He is the first Medal of Honor recipient under Trump.

The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs says that the 71-year-old McCloughan will speak Aug. 13 at 12 p.m. at the state fair. It will be his first speaking engagement in Illinois since receiving the honor. IDVA director Erica Jeffries says McCloughan will speak to Illinoisans who served in the same division with him in Vietnam.