Passage: Medals of Honor, and righting past wrongs

It happened this week: word that a group of true American heroes will finally get their due.

Friday, President Obama announced that 24 veterans from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War will receive our nation's highest military honor.

For some, recognition comes 70 years after their courageous acts.

All 24 had previously been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest military award.  But recently Congress called for a review of Hispanic, Jewish and African-American war records to insure those deserving a Medal of Honor were not denied their due because of prejudice.

In each case, the review found these men actually deserved the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty.

Only three of the veterans are still alive; all fought in Vietnam. 

Former Sgt. First Class Jose Rodela was hit with rocket fire while saving his company from being overrun by the enemy. 

Army Specialist Santiago Erevia.single-handedly took out four enemy bunkers that were raking his unit's position with fire.

And former Green Beret Melvin Morris: in Vietnam he was wounded three times recovering the body of a fallen comrade in the face of withering machine gun fire.

They, and the families of those no longer with us, will receive the Medal next month at the White House.  It will be the largest such ceremony since the closing days of World War II.