General Colin Powell, a distinguished military leader and advisory to President George H. W. Bush, was honored with the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal on July 3, 1991. This significant achievement was a testament to his exceptional performance in planning and coordinating the United States military response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. His strategic leadership was instrumental in the ultimate retreat and defeat of Iraqi forces, and the acceptance of all United Nations Resolutions relating to Kuwait by Iraq.
Some of General Powell’s achievements leading to receiving the Congressional Gold Medal include:
- Induction into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans in 1991, which honors individuals who have overcome adversity to achieve great success.
- Awarded the Spingarn Medal from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1991 for outstanding achievement.
- Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H. W. Bush in 1991, the highest civilian award in the United States. He later received another Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993 by President Bill Clinton.
- Awarded the U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official in 1990. This award is given annually to an individual who has significantly contributed to public service.
General Powell’s exceptional service and contributions were recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Soldiers Medal, the Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Service Medal. These high achievements, as well as his leadership and military service, contributed to General Powell’s receipt of the Congressional Gold Medal in 1991.
To learn more about General Colin Powell’s journey, you may watch his oral history interview on the Searchable Museum of the National Museum of African American History and Culture website at Honoring General Colin Powell | National Museum of African American History and Culture (si.edu).
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I agree the Powell lied about the WMD. He should not be honored because his lying to Congress. How many young men and women had their lives changed forever because of his lies, We will never know. How many lives were changed forever by the lies told about Vietnam, Agent Orange, etc. The government has lied about those things and continue to do so today. I and my family suffer from those lies every single day of my remaining life. I no longer trust anything the government says about anything. They are all liers, cheaters, and thieves from the President down to the bottom rung of government.
This “man” lied the U S into a bullsh-t war with his war criminal cohorts, the draft dodgers G W and Dick the vampire. Course, you’all tend to glorify the military, an act my father[drafted 5/15/41] said should be really disgusting to any American, ex GI or not!
Unfortunately he betrayed his this country when bush II sent him at the UN and to lied about WMD in Iraq. Therefore,
he trashed everything he did before in his career.
You are 1,000% correct. He knew better, but pushed the “WMD” lie anyways. I see so many Vets at the VA that have had permanent injuries due to the B.S. lie about “WMD” in Iraq. Powell destroyed any credibility he had with his support of this massive, and expensive (for U.S. taxpayers and military members) lie.