Medal of Honor To Be Awarded To Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It's awarded only to those who show "...conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States." More often than not, these are awarded posthumously as these soldiers, sailors, Marines, or airmen frequently give their lives so that their fellow comrades in arms can survive.

However, the latest soldier to be awarded the medal will be there in person to accept it. Later today, the Medal of Honor will be awarded to an Army Ranger Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry who saved his comrades by throwing a grenade away, but the grenade blew off his hand.

During the enemy action, he was already injured from bullet wounds to both legs when the grenade was thrown at his position.

An Army Ranger who lost his right hand while tossing an enemy grenade away from fellow soldiers in Afghanistan will be awarded the Medal of Honor on Tuesday.

Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry will be the second living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Iraq and Afghan wars, according to the U.S. military. President Barack Obama will present the award to Petry.

"It's very humbling to know that the guys thought that much of me and my actions that day, to nominate me for that," Petry said, according to an Army News Service report.

Petry is being awarded the medal for actions on May 26, 2008, in Paktia, Afghanistan.