New Veterans Memorial Honors Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients

Students, faculty at University of Washington unveil permanent memorial to
unique group of alumni

SEATTLE, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- A new memorial to America's most-esteemed
veterans - Congressional Medal of Honor recipients - will be dedicated at the
University of Washington in Seattle on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 10
a.m.

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The Medal of Honor is America's highest and rarest award for military valor,
presented just 3,448 times since the Civil War. Eight alumni of the UW are
recipients.

"The Medal of Honor recipients are examples of selfless service, and so many
made a complete sacrifice of life," says Lee Dunbar, who helped start the
campus effort in 2006 as a student and, now graduated, will return to Seattle
for the unveiling. "We always need reminders as citizens that there are men
and women sacrificing everything for what we enjoy."

Alumni who hold the Medal of Honor and will return to campus for the
dedication are:

Bruce Crandall, Lt. Col. (Ret.) U.S. Army
In 1965, as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, Crandall conducted 22 rescue
missions during the Battle of Ia Drang Valley to provide critical ammunition
and medical evacuation. His voluntary decision to land under the most extreme
fire caused other pilots to follow, saving lives with complete disregard for
their own safety.

John D. "Bud" Hawk, Sgt. (Ret.), U.S. Army
In August 1944, Hawk fought German tanks and infantry as they tried to escape
encirclement following the Normandy invasion. Despite a severe wound, Hawk
secured a bazooka, reorganized two machine gun squads and helped crush two
enemy advancements. His actions resulted in surrender and capture of more than
500 German prisoners.

Joining them will be former Vietnam prisoner of war and Washington State
Senator Leo Thorsness, president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society,
the brotherhood of all who hold the medal. Keynote remarks will be delivered
by Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, vice chief of staff, United States Army.

"Medal of Honor recipients will be the first to tell you that we simply
responded to a duty to leave no man behind," says Thorsness. "We wear our
medal for all veterans and are humbled by this remembrance."

The dedication and parade culminate a three-year endeavor by UW students to
recognize and celebrate their heroic alumni. Funded entirely through private
contributions, TriWest Healthcare Alliance and the Apex Foundation, the
$152,000 monument is designed by Mike Magrath, a UW visiting scholar in
sculpture and public art, in collaboration with another sculptor, Heidi
Wastweet, and landscape architect, Dodi Fredericks.

"I'm so honored that we had the opportunity to be a small part of making this
happen," said David J. McIntyre, Jr., CEO and President of TriWest, and Board
Member of the Medal of Honor Foundation. "I'm particularly excited by the way
in which the students, faculty and community brought this about."

Related Links
Congressional Medal of Honor Society
University of Washington memorial
TriWest Healthcare Alliance

SOURCE The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation

Catherine O'Donnell, University of Washington News and Information,
+1-206-543-2580, +1-206-306-6425, cath2@u.washington.edu; or Tara La Bouff,
R&R Partners, +1-480-317-6064, +1-602-670-7121, tara.labouff@rrpartners.com