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Published On: Tue, Feb 12th, 2013

President Obama honors Clint Romesha with Medal of Honor as thousands gather for Chris Kyle memorial

President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to celebrated Army veteran Clinton Romesha on Monday afternoon, making the former active duty staff sergeant just the fourth living person to receive the military’s highest honor for service in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha receives the Medal of Honor from President Obama at a White House ceremony on Feb. 11.  Mike Morones / Military Times

Former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha receives the Medal of Honor from President Obama at a White House ceremony on Feb. 11.
Mike Morones / Military Times

Meanwhile as Cowboys Stadium, thousands gathered to pay their respects to the murdered Navy SEAL Chris Kyle known as the American sniper.

Romesha, 31, fought back tears as Obama presented him with the medal honoring his “conspicuous gallantry” during the Battle of Kamdesh, a day-long firefight at a remote Afghan outpost near the Pakistan border in 2009.

“These men were outnumbered, outgunned, and almost overrun,” Obama said in his remarks in the White House East Room. 

Romesha was recognized for leading the charge against hundreds of Taliban fighters during an Oct. 3, 2009, siege on U.S. troops at Combat Outpost Keating, a small compound military officials considered indefensible. 

Eight American soldiers were killed and 20 were wounded in the surprise attack, making it the deadliest day for the U.S. in the war effort that year.

Romesha headed up efforts to retake the camp, risking his own life as U.S. troops were besieged by rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, mortars and rifles.

Kyle, a famous Navy SEAL, authored the book “American Sniper” discussing his life as the most lethal sniper in America history.

An estimated 7,000 people attended, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry issued a statement that said, in part, “Chris Kyle was the public face of an anonymous breed of American warrior who are handed the hardest missions and assume the largest risks. Chris was among the very best at what he did, and he saved countless American lives in the process. Our state and our nation suffered a profound loss with his passing.”

Although no politician spoke at the service, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was in Dallas on Monday and posted on her Facebook page that she would attend the memorial. “I find it sad to see that flags aren’t flying at half staff for this American hero,” Palin wrote on the page.

Kyle, 38, and a friend, Chad Littlefield, 35, were shot to death by a fellow Iraq veteran, Eddie Ray Routh, who had been struggling with mental health problems and who they had taken to the gun range for a kind of shooting therapy.

President Barack Obama applauds as Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha looks over at his wife and children after receiving the Medal of Honor during the award ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 11, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama applauds as Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha looks over at his wife and children after receiving the Medal of Honor during the award ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 11, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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About the Author

- Catherine "Kaye" Wonderhouse, a proud descendant of the Wunderhaus family is the Colorado Correspondent who will add more coverage, interviews and reports from this midwest area.

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