The Tampa Bay Lightning hosted, honored and recognized 46 of the 70 living Medal of Honor recipients last night, saluting the armed forces veterans before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Amalie Arena.
The group of Heroes features nine honorees from the War on Terrorism, 34 from the Vietnam War, two from the Korean War and one from World War II.
The Tampa Bay area is currently hosting the 2019 Medal of Honor Convention. It runs from from October 22-26. The convention will shine a national spotlight on the Bay Area while honoring these true American Heroes with a series of events throughout the week.
The Medal of Honor Convention is also an opportunity to showcase the Tampa Bay community's spectacular support for nearly 400,000 servicemembers, veterans and their families.
The Medal of Honor was created in 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln. It is the nation's highest, and rarest, military decoration. The medal is bestowed by the President of the United States, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against the enemy of the United States."
Fewer than 3,500 individuals have received the medal, half of which have been posthumously. There are currently only 70 living recipients, one of the lowest numbers in history.
For more information visit https://medalofhonortampa.com/.