For me, Donald Trump isn’t worth mentioning by name.

So I will just say that “someone” recently and unfavorably compared the Congressional Medal of Honor with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is a travesty.

The Medal of Honor is awarded “for conspicuous gallantry at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” and is our nation’s highest military decoration. Any nominee for this award undergoes 18 months of intense scrutiny including (in ascending order) the Senior Army Decorations Board, the Secretary of Defense and POTUS.

For example, growing up in a career military family with Dad, a member of the 101st Airborne, me and every other kid on base knew about Cpl. “Rudy” Hernandez. Born to Mexican immigrants, at 17 Rudy volunteered and successfully completed training for the 187th Airborne Regiment (nicknamed the Rakkasans, which purportedly means “falling down umbrellas,” by the Japanese during the 187th’s tour of duty in postwar Japan).

Shipped out to fight in Korea in 1951, Rudy’s unit’s position was overrun by a larger force and his platoon began falling back. Already wounded, Rudy rushed forward, holding off the enemy and killing at least six hostiles while his platoon retreated to more secure positions. U.S. counterattackers thought Rudy was dead until his hand moved a bit. He somehow survived grenade, bullet and bayonet wounds. Rudy had to relearn to walk, speak and write again (his right arm remained badly damaged).

He did so and married, had three kids and a long career as a counselor in the Department of Veterans Affairs, passing in 2013. No one doubted that Rudy deserved his Medal of Honor.

Miriam Adelson, spouse of a casino magnate, was the Republican Party’s largest donor in 2018 ( and other years). She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, screened only by the president, in 2018. Only a fool would seek to compare these two.

BTW, Rudy is buried in a veterans cemetery in North Carolina. I would bet he chose that to allow him to be buried near his spouse. Arlington Cemetery is strict in allowing only veterans to be buried there. Section 21 of Arlington is the special resting place for nurses who served in the armed forces. My mom could have chosen to be buried there (or in her native Maine) but she was also eligible for one of the sections reserved for veterans of WWII. She chose the latter so that my dad, eligible for three different sections, could eventually be buried above her (very rare).

I can only pray that anyone desecrating that holy place will have to face Rudy and my dad and all the other heroes in an afterlife. Bless them all.