In 2014, Army Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins of Opelika, Ala. was awarded the Medal of Honor for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty during the Vietnam War.
Adkins, along with thirty other Medal of Honor recipients, received recognition last night for their heroic efforts in a ceremony that took place before Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game.
Thank you @MLB. We had a fantastic time if you cannot tell by this photo. #MLBAllStarGame2018 pic.twitter.com/ALnUbUndYP
— CSM Bennie G. Adkins (Ret.) (@BennieGAdkins) July 18, 2018
In honoring the greats that served this country, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “As the national pastime in the nation’s capital, Major League Baseball is proud to celebrate these heroes who demonstrated bravery and selflessness in serving and protecting the United States of America. These extraordinary veterans are national treasures and we are honored by their attendance. I hope this stage provides an opportunity to recognize their unmistakable commitment to our country and start the 89th MLB All-Star Game in an inspiring and patriotic way.”
Social media came to life as Adkins and the American heroes were honored for their bravery and sacrifice:
Medal of Honor recipients were celebrated before the #AllStarGame. https://t.co/iHe7nyAj0a pic.twitter.com/sSMJ0UnzW6
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) July 18, 2018
Opelika’s Bennie Adkins among the Medal of Honor recipients recognized before tonight’s #MLBAllStarGame2018 pic.twitter.com/TbMxijq2tp
— Joe McAdory (@JoeMcAdory) July 18, 2018
Adkins’ daughter even chimed in to share her excitement:
That is my father, Bennie Adkins. He was very happy and honored to be there.
— Mary Ann Adkins Blake (@maryblake06) July 18, 2018
The recipients were accompanied by an array of choirs from across the Washington area on the field for the pregame celebration.
While awarding the Medal of Honor to Adkins in 2014, President Obama, who was in awe of Adkins’ many achievements, paused to say, “you can’t make this stuff up.”
More of Adkins’ incredible story can be found here.
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