Petersburg to host Medal of Honor Day celebration at Pamplin Park

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier will honor Medal of Honor recipients with a celebration on Medal of Honor Day.

The celebration will take place on Tuesday, March 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with displays, a presentation and a battlefield tour. The celebration also will take place on Medal of Honor Day.

The Medal of Honor is the United States' highest award for military valor, and since its establishment, only 3,528 people have been awarded, with 61 of those recipients reportedly still living today.

The temporary display will showcase the changes in design as well as the medals for each branch of service ranging from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy throughout the day.

According to Pamplin Park, one of the medals on display was awarded to Louis Cukela, who is one of only 19 people who are two-time Medal of Honor recipients to receive both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy Medal of Honor.

Officials said Cukela received the award for his actions in World War I during the battle of Belleau Woods in France.

In addition to Cukela, the stories of five other Medal of Honor recipients will be shared at the Park's National Museum of the Civil War Soldier at noon, along with Senior Park Ranger Jim Partain who will present stories of the five soldiers and provide an overview of the medal itself.