First it was the French Legion of Honour. Then it was the Soldier and Airman’s medals. Then it was a spot on Dancing with the Stars. Can these three heroes get any more accolades for their daring actions on a high-speed train last month?
Yes, they can. National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos, Air Force Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone and college student Anthony Sadler received a personal invitation to the White House, where they hung out with President Obama in the Oval Office.
“Because of their courage, because of their quick thinking … a real calamity was averted,” Obama said of the trio.
Last month, these three highschool friends were traveling in Europe on a Paris-bound train when an extremist with an AK-47 entered their car. These American heroes and a British businessman tackled and disarmed the terrorist before anyone was killed. In the ensuing scuffle, Stone was wounded by the gunman.
After meeting the President, the trio went to the Pentagon to receive their awards for valor. Dressed in military uniform, Skarlatos received his Soldier’s Medal, one the Army’s highest honors, and Stone earned the prestigious Airman’s Medal and a Purple Heart. Sadler received the Department of Defense Medal of Valor.