McKiddy, a 1968 Miamisburg High School graduate, was a helicopter crew chief and door gunner with the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam. On May 6, 1970, at age 20 in Cambodia, his helicopter came under intense enemy fire causing it to crash. The sergeant survived the crash and was thrown free of the wreckage.
Returning to the burning aircraft, McKiddy pulled fellow soldier Spc. Jim Skaggs to safety, then attempted to rescue the pilot, Warrant Officer Tommy Whiddon, from the chopper but the aircraft’s fuel cells exploded, killing both men.
McKiddy was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star Medal, the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Good Conduct Medal for his actions that day, but never the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Legislation approved last year officially named Ohio 725 between South Union Road and Soldier Home Road in Montgomery County as “the Sgt. Gary Lee McKiddy Memorial Highway.”
McKiddy made “the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” Brown said.
“His selfless act exemplifies his leadership and commitment to his fellow troops,” he said in a release. ‘Sergeant McKiddy was a true American hero and the Congressional Medal of Honor is long overdue.”
Vance said McKiddy was “a true American hero.”
“At just 20 years old, he laid down his life to save the lives of others,” Vance said in a release. “He embodied the greatest virtues of our nation’s armed services and is deserving of our highest military honor.”
Reached with the news Thursday afternoon, Rick McKiddy, one of Gary McKiddy’s brothers, choked back tears of joy.
“That is pretty awesome,” he said.