Heroic Coweta Soldier To Be Awarded Posthumous Medal Of Honor

A Green Country soldier will be awarded with the Medal of Honor -- more than 40 years after he was killed in Vietnam. Specialist Donald Sloat grew up in Coweta and joined the army after high school.

Family gathered at Enid's Vance Air Force Base for the announcement.

Specialist Sloat was an army machine gunner in Vietnam. The army says his squad was on patrol when someone tripped a booby trap hooked to a grenade.

When Specialist Sloat realized he couldn't throw the explosive far enough away -- he used his body as a shield to protect his fellow men -- sacrificing his own life. The family says they were first told Sloat stepped on a landmine, but a website provided new details about his death -- some 40 years later.

They only learned recently their relative was actually a hero who saved his comrades

s brother will accept the Medal of Honor on his behalf at theWhite Housee on September 15th.