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RIGHT FOR ALL OF THEM.
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS MELVIN
MORRIS WAS JUST 19 WHEN HE
BECAME A GREEN BERET.
HE VOLUNTEERED TO GO TO VIETNAM.
IN 1969, UNDER HEAVY FIRE, HIT
MULTIPLE TIMES, BLEEDING, HE
RESCUED DEAD AND WOUNDED TROOPS.
THE ARMY SAYS HE SHOWED
DETERMINATION POSSESSED BY FEW
MEN IN HIS ABILITY TO LEAD HAS
RARELY BEEN EQUALED.
TODAY AT 272, WITH HIS WIFE OF
51 YEARS, MARY, THE PRIDE, THE
DIGNITY AND NOW A WRONG WILL BE
MADE RIGHT.
MORRIS IS ONE OF 24 VETERANS
WHO, DECADES LATE, WILL RECEIVE
THE NATION'S HIGHEST MILITARY
DISTINCTION, THE MEDAL OF HONOR.
IT IS A ROLL CALL OF BRAVERY AND
HEROISM ABOVE AND BEYOND THE
CALL OF DUTY FOR MEN WHO SERVED
IN WORLD WAR II, CREE AND
VIETNAM.
ONLY MORRIS AND TWO OTHER
VIETNAM VETERANS ARE STILL
LIVING.
IN 2002, CONGRESS ORDERED A
REVIEW OF JEWISH AND HISPANIC
VETERANS' WAR RECORDS TO FIND
OUT WHO MAY HAVE SUFFERED IS
DISCRIMINATION AND NOT BEEN
AWARDED THE HONORS THEY
DESERVED.
POTENTIAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN
DISCRIMINATION WAS ALSO FOUND.
ALL ARE NOW BEING RECOGNIZED.
>> I'D HEARD RUMORS TO THE FACT
THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN PEOPLE
WHO PEOPLE THOUGHT SHOULD HAVE
RECEIVED A MEDAL OF HONOR.
>> Reporter: RETIRED MARINE AND
VIETNAM VET HARVEY BARNUM
RECEIVED HIS MEDAL OF HONOR IN
1967.
HIS UNIT ALSO UNDER INTENSE FIRE
WITH COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR HIS
SAFETY, HE MOVED TO SAVE OTHERS.
NOW, HE HAS JUST ONE MESSAGE FOR
THE VIETNAM SURVIVORS.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO PUTTING MY
ARMS AROUND THEM AND CALLING
THEM BROTHER AND SAYING WELCOME
HOME.
>> Reporter: TWO OTHER LIVING
VIETNAM VETERANS WILL RECEIVE
THE MEDAL.
RADIO OPERATOR SANTIAGO ARIVIA
WAS UNDER FIRE ALL DAY ON MAY
21st, 1969.
IN TOTAL PERIL, HE ASSAULTED A
LINE OF ENEMY BUNKERS THROWING
HAND GRENADES AND FIRING HIS
M-16.
HE CAME HOME TO WORK FOR THE
POSTAL SERVICE FOR 32 YEARS.
HIS SON ROLAND SERVED THREE
TOURS IN IRAQ.
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS JOSE
REDELLAS' BATTALION WAS UNDER
SUCH HEAVY FIRE SEPTEMBER 1st,
1969 IT SUFFERED 42 CASUALTIES
IN MINUTES.
ARMY RECORDS SAY THE UNIT WAS ON
THE BRINK OF PANIC WHEN HE
STEPPED IN, PHYSICALLY PUSHING
MEN TO FIGHT EVEN AS THE UNIT
WAS STILL UNDER FIRE.
TODAY, HE IS IN FRAIL HEALTH.
OF THE RECIPIENTS WHO HAVE
PASSED AWAY, SOME DIED IN ACTION
IN EUROPE, CREE AND VIETNAM.
BUT SOME, LIKE PRIVATE FIRST
CLASS WILLIAM LEONARD OF NEW
YORK, WHO FOUGHT IN FRANCE
DURING WORLD WAR II, CAME HOME
TO LIVE OUT THEIR LIVES.
LEONARD WORKED IN THE AUTO
INDUSTRY AND AS A BUTCHER.
HE DIED FIVE DAYS BEFORE HIS
72nd BIRTHDAY SITTING IN HIS
BACKYARD LISTENING TO A NEW YORK
YANKEES GAME ON THE RADIO.
AND THE REVIEW WAS IN LARGE PART
SPARKED BY THE FAMILY OF PRIVATE