The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation today announced the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors, who will play a leadership role in the creation of a permanent home to honor America’s bravest heroes.
The new board members are Patrick Brady, Maj. General, U.S. Army (Ret.) and Medal of Honor recipient and Alan D. Schwartz, Executive Chairman, Guggenheim Partners, L.L.C. They join ten current members of the board as well as former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter, who serve as Honorary Directors. The new appointments are effective immediately.
“As we continue to build a board of people who share the same ideals and values as the museum will honor, we welcome these two distinguished Americans, who will help us achieve our goals” said Peter Stent, Chairman of the National Medal of Honor Museum. “We are privileged these men have joined our board to help commemorate the stories of our Medal of Honor recipients, unite Americans around what it means to be patriotic, and inspire us to find the hero within ourselves.”
The Congressional Medal of Honor is our nation’s highest military decoration. Since its founding in 1863, 3,522 Medals of Honor have been awarded.
“Both Alan and Patrick are leaders in their respective fields and bring a years of experience which will help to guide us as we build this new instition that bring forth patriotism in all Americans,” said Joe Daniels, CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum.
The National Medal of Honor Museum is currently conducting a targeted search for the best home for the museum to inspire as many Americans as possible. It will offer an experience that draws personal and emotional connections to Medal of Honor recipients and their stories, while shedding light on the wars in which they fought and the ideals that the Medal of Honor represents. The museum is currently working with world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie and his team, along with Patrick Gallagher, exhibition designer for the National World War II Museum.
Background on the new board members is below.
Patrick Brady, Major General, U.S. Army (Ret.), Medal of Honor Recipient
Major General Brady spent over 34 years in the Army serving in stations all over the world. He was in Berlin during the building of the wall and returned in 1989 when it was torn down. He served in the Dominican Republic during that conflict, in Korea as commander of the troops at the Joint Security area of the DMZ and for 2 years in Vietnam as a helicopter ambulance pilot. He has eight years’ service with America’s citizen soldiers, our Reserve Components, and is a former Chief of Army Public Affairs.
While in Vietnam he was awarded the Medal of Honor for a series of rescues during which he used 3 helicopters to rescue over 60 wounded. At the end of the day his aircraft had over 400 holes in them from enemy fire and mines. In two tours in Vietnam he flew over 2500 combat missions and rescued over 5000 wounded. He developed foul weather and tactical techniques for air ambulance rescue never before executed in combat for which he is identified in the Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War and other books as the top helicopter pilot in that war. Some pundits recognize him as the most decorated living veteran.
Gen. Brady is the only living Army veteran of Vietnam to hold both the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross, our nation’s second highest award. His other awards include two Distinguished Service Medals; the Defense Superior Service Medal; the Legion of Merit; six Distinguished Flying Crosses; two Bronze Stars, one for valor; the Purple Heart and 53 Air Medals, one for valor. He is a member of both the Army Aviation and Dust Off Halls of Fame.
He recently published with his daughter Meghan a book, Dead Men Flying, which covers his experiences with the origin and execution of Aero Medical evacuation in Viet Nam, called Dust Off, the greatest battlefield life saver in history.
General Brady has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Seattle University and an MBA from Notre Dame University.
General Brady and his wife Nancy had 6 children, Shaun, Casey, Kelly, Shannon, Terry, and Meghan, a veteran of the war in Iraq.
Alan D. Schwartz, Executive Chairman, Guggenheim Partners, L.L.C.
Mr. Schwartz joined Guggenheim Partners, a global, independent and privately held financial services firm, in June, 2009. Mr. Schwartz is the former chief executive officer of The Bear Stearns Companies. During his career with Bear Stearns, he served as president and chief operating officer, as executive vice president and co-head of investment banking, and in other financial management positions. He previously worked in various capacities with Wertheim & Company and R.W. Pressprich & Company.
He earned a B.A. in management science from Duke in 1972. He is member of the Duke Board of Trustees since 2005, has served as chairman of the Fuqua School of Business Board of Visitors and as a member of the Athletic Advisory Board.
Mr. Schwartz is a member of the boards of the Robin Hood Foundation, Marvin and Palmer, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, American Foundation for AIDS Research, NYU Langone Medical Center, Clinton Health Access Initiative and Madison Square Garden. Mr. Schwartz is married and has five children.
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