934th Airlift Wing hosts 3 Medal of Honor recipients

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - The 934th Airlift Wing hosted three Medal of Honor recipients Tuesday.

The visit precedes the Medal of Honor Convention scheduled for October 4 through October 8 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Robert Patterson (U.S. Army), Thomas Kelley (U.S. Navy), and Harold Fritz (U.S. Army) addressed members of the Air Force Reserve, sharing their opinions on PTSD, Veterans Affairs, and the current state of the U.S. military during a question and answer session.

Patterson praised active duty members, saying they were more ‘intelligent’ and more ‘sophisticated’.

“I look at some of the weapon systems and equipment they have to use and I have no idea how to even turn them on much less turn them on,” he said.

He went on to say active duty members today are put through far more than they were when he joined the U.S. Army in 1969.

“It just amazes me the way they make back to back to back deployments. We did a one year tour in Vietnam, we came home, and we were back two three years before we went back again.”

Kelley said the 76 living Medal of Honor recipients are far from the only ones deserving of the military’s highest honor.

“Everybody in the military has an opportunity to excel to be a hero, but so many are not recognized. We were,” he said. “So we wear it in their honor.”

The visit was also an opportunity to thank members of local law enforcement for the security they’ll be providing during the upcoming event. Hennepin County Sheriff Rick Stanek, along with members of the Minneapolis Police Department were present.