By JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — A new museum devoted to telling the stories of those who have received the nation’s highest military honor is opening this coming week in Texas.
The National Medal of Honor Museum is set to open Tuesday in Arlington, just west of Dallas. It highlights the lives and service of Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War to the global war on terrorism. Over 3,500 people have received the Medal of Honor, which is awarded by Congress for risking one’s life in combat beyond the call of duty.
Jack Jacobs, a retired U.S. Army colonel who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War, said he wants museum visitors to realize the recipients aren’t “spectacular supermen,” but regular people who “embody the kinds of values that are really important.”
“Really grand things, not just in combat, but in everyday life … are all accomplished by ordinary people who come to the conclusion that something has to be done and they are going to do it,” Jacobs said.
When his unit was ambushed by the Viet Cong on March 9, 1968, Jacobs took charge after his commander was seriously wounded. Despite being wounded in the head by shrapnel and bleeding heavily, Jacobs reorganized the company and repeatedly ran through enemy fire to rescue the wounded, saving the lives of a U.S. adviser and 13 soldiers.
Jacobs, now 79, said he lost a lot of friends in the battle.
“You really do wear the award for all of the people who can’t wear the award,” he said.
The museum’s focus is on telling the life stories of the recipients, said Alexandra Rhue, the museum’s senior vice president of engagement. “Here you met the people first and then you learn what they did,” Rhue said.
The recipients featured in the museum include those from various branches of the military, conflicts and geographic locations, as well as different ethnicities and races.
Chris Cassidy, the museum’s president and CEO, said he hopes the exhibits inspire visitors.
“Everybody needs courage in some form or fashion,” he said. “So that’s our aim: to inspire people through the stories of Medal of Honor actions, to bring a little courage into your own life.”
Several of the recipients, including Jacobs, appear in videos in an exhibit where their images answer visitors’ questions. There are over 60 recipients who are still living.
A celebration Saturday ahead of the opening will feature musical performances, fireworks and a drone show. The museum is nestled amongst Globe Life Field, where the Texas Rangers play, and AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.