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The Medal of Honor is awarded sparingly,
bestowed upon only the bravest of the brave.
In recent months, you've seen modern day heroes receive that honor.
But what happens to our country's heroes of yesterday?
Marine Corporal Kevin Beebe shows us that great acts of wartime valor
are never forgotten.
[weapons firing]
[Beebe] In France during World War II,
Private Barney Hajiro charged the enemy,
taking out two machine gun nests and enemy snipers
while taking four bullets himself. [gunfire]
For his actions, Hajiro was awarded the military's highest combat decoration,
the Medal of Honor.
He died in 2011 as the oldest living recipient of this symbol of heroism and bravery.
[♪"Taps" playing♪]
[Beebe] Family and fellow soldiers paid their respects
as the war hero was laid to rest at the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
[male speaker] Fire! [gunfire]
He didn't see himself as a hero.
He said, "I had a job to do."
"They gave me the big gun."
And he said, "You cannot be a coward."
He said, "You have responsibility."
He said, "They depend on me, so you do what you've got to do."
He said, "You join the Army, you're committed."
[Beebe] Hajiro was a man who never forgot his Army roots
and always saw himself in service to country.
He always was a very humble person
and always came out to visit with our troops
when they were in training and encouraged our troops,
and he shared a meal with them.
So it's an extreme honor for me on behalf of the regiment
to be able to say goodbye to Medal of Honor recipient Barney Hajiro.
[G. Hajiro] He was always an Army man down from the top of his head
to the bottom of his toes.
Everything is Army.
He was so proud.
But for his son, he was a hero in a different light.
For me he's more of a hero because he always took care of the family.
[helicopter whirring]
[Beebe] On that day in combat more than 60 years ago,
the odds were against Private Barney Hajiro.
But through the bravest of actions, Hajiro became a hero for the rest of his life.
He was 94 when he passed away.
Marine Corporal Kevin Beebe, Honolulu, Hawaii.
[♪upbeat music♪]