WHAT – President Barack Obama will award Chaplain (Captain) Emil J. Kapaun, U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor posthumously for conspicuous gallantry.
WHEN – The event will be held Thursday, April 11. A second ceremony will occur the next day, April 12 at the Pentagon.
WHERE – The award ceremony will occur at the White House in Washington, D.C. A second ceremony will occur the next day, April 12 at the Pentagon.
WHY – Fr. Kapaun died as a prisoner of war, and the Korean War veterans who served with him, who were saved by him, have lobbied the Army for more than 60 years to award Kapaun the Medal of Honor for his acts of bravery.
Roy Wenzl and Travis Heying, the authors of “The Miracle of Father Kapaun,” interviewed the dozens of men who survived the POW camp because of the courageous acts of this young priest. “They said he repeatedly ran through machine gun fire, dragging wounded soldiers to safety. In the prison camp, he shaped roofing tin into cooking pots so prisoners could boil water, which prevented dysentery. He picked lice off sick prisoners. He stole food from his captors and shared it with his starving comrades. Most of all, Kapaun rallied all of them, as they starved during subzero temperatures, to stay alive. When their future seemed hopeless, he persuaded them to hope. Hundreds died in the camps, but hundreds more survived,” recounts Wenzl and Heying.
According to the press release distributed by the White House, Fr. Kapaun is being given this honor because he displayed extraordinary heroism while serving as a military chaplain during combat, and as a prisoner of war from November 2, 1950 – May 23, 1951.
HOW – Contact Lisa Wheeler (770-591-0045 or by email at LWheeler@CarmelCommunications.com) or Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or by email KWandra@CarmelCommunications.com) of Carmel Communications to schedule interviews with Roy Wenzl and Travis Heying, co-authors of The Miracle of Fr. Kapaun: Priest, Soldier and Korean War Hero,” a new book published by Ignatius Press that chronicles the heroic life of Fr. Kapaun. Both Wenzl and Heying will be at the Medal of Honor ceremonies in Washington, D.C., next month.
MORE INFORMATION – For more information on the Medal of Honor ceremony, or to schedule an interview with Roy Wenzl and Travis Heying, or to request a galley copy of The Miracle of Fr. Kapaun: Priest, Soldier and Korean War Hero, please contact Lisa Wheeler (770-591-0045 or by email at LWheeler@CarmelCommunications.com) or Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or by email KWandra@CarmelCommunications.com) of Carmel Communications.
Also, see The Wichita Eagle’s story on Fr. Kapaun and the Medal of Honor announcement for more information: http://www.kansas.com/2013/03/11/2711367/white-house-kapaun-to-get-medal.html.