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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Medal of Honor Awarded to TR
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Staff Writer
Saying
he was honored to "correct a significant historical error,” President
Bill Clinton this morning awarded the Medal of Honor to Theodore Roosevelt for
valor during the Spanish-American War.
Clinton -- presiding at a ceremony in the 26th president's old office in the
White House -- said that the reasons why Roosevelt never got the honor are
unclear. But, he said, "Opinions that he should have received it long ago
are unanimous.”
Eleven Roosevelt descendants attended the ceremony, including Nancy Jackson
of Cold Spring Harbor, TR's granddaughter. Several great-grandchildren attended,
including Tweed Roosevelt, who led the family fight for the medal, and Theodore
Roosevelt IV.
"I am sure that Theodore Roosevelt, up wherever he is, is very
pleased,” Tweed Roosevelt said. "We are all delighted.”
Roosevelt family members had been lobbying the government to win Roosevelt
the medal he always felt he had earned for leading the Rough Riders in the
Battle of San Juan Hill in 1898.
The Roosevelt family intends to give the medal back to the White House,
probably at a second, larger, ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in the
spring. They hope to display it in the Roosevelt Room in the White House, along
with the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Roosevelt as president for his efforts to
end the Russo-Japanese War.
"Presidents in the future will be able bring dignitaries here and say
this is what our country stands for -- peace and honor,” Tweed Roosevelt said.
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Breaking News ... THEODORE ROOSEVELT - HOLDS BOTH MEDAL OF HONOR AND NOBEL PEACE PRIZE Get the full story with pictures of the medal and the citation
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linton
conferred the Medal of Honor posthumously upon Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt in a private ceremony in the Roosevelt Room of the White
House on Tuesday, January 16, 200
For More Information Contact:
Theodore Roosevelt Association - New England Chapter
319 Longwood Ave, Boston MA 02115
Tel: 617-277-0100
FAX: 617-232-7571
Internet: gpk@tiac.net
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