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Local Medal Of Honor Recipient Among Those Honored With New Stamp

Nearly a dozen Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients will be in Washington, D.C. on Monday to help the Postal Service dedicate the Limited Edition Medal of Honor: Vietnam War Forever Stamps.

They include Gary Beikirch, the Greece man who received the medal in 1973.  Sgt. Beikirch was a combat medic in Vietnam in 1970 when the army camp he was based at was attacked by the North Vietnamese. Beikirch was honored for moving through enemy fire to treat his fallen comrades, even though he was seriously wounded himself.

The Postal Service is issuing a stamp sheet depicting 48 living Vietnam War recipients, and Monday afternoon there will be a ceremony to honor them at the National Mall in Washington.

Beikirch issued a statement in advance of the ceremony, saying that many of those who have received the Medal of Honor wear it with humility, knowing that there were many more acts of bravery and courage performed by others who served the country but were never recognized.

In terms of the new stamps being issued, Beikirch says “It is an honor to be shared with all those men and women who served during a divisive and difficult period…with the issuing of this stamp perhaps one more step has been made in healing the wounds of that war by recognizing, remembering and honoring the millions of men and women who performed selfless acts of service and sacrifice during a terrible time of war.”

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.