Army Ranger receives Medal of Honor for Afghanistan heroics
Washington (CNN) -- An Army Ranger who lost his right hand while tossing an enemy grenade away from fellow soldiers in Afghanistan was awarded the Medal of Honor Tuesday.
Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry became the second living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Iraq and Afghan wars, according to the U.S. military.
"Leroy Petry showed that true heroes still exist, and they're closer than you think," said President Barack Obama, who presented the award to Petry.
"It's very humbling to know that the guys thought that much of me and my actions that day, to nominate me for that," Petry said, according to an Army News Service report.
Petry was awarded the medal for his actions on May 26, 2008, in Paktia, Afghanistan.
Already wounded by a bullet that went through both his legs, Petry picked up an enemy grenade that landed near him and two fellow Rangers and threw it back toward the enemy, according to the Army News Service. The grenade detonated and blew off Petry's right hand. Petry applied a tourniquet to his wound and called for help.
"If not for Staff Sergeant Petry's actions, we would have been seriously wounded or killed," Sgt. Daniel Higgins, a fellow Ranger, wrote in a statement, according to the Army News Service.
Petry, now assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia, was the ninth service member to be presented the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan or Iraq. The other living recipient is Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta.
Petry, a father of four from Santa Fe, New Mexico, has served two tours of duty in Iraq and six in Afghanistan.
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