Local Veteran to Receive Medal of Honor

It's the nation's highest military honor and later this month a Lyndonville Army veteran will receive it during a ceremony in the White House.  The official announcement that David Bellavia will be awarded the Medal of Honor is expected to be made sometime this week.

Bellavia will become the Iraq War's first living Medal of Honor recipient and the first living Western New Yorker to receive it.  He's already received the Silver Star for his actions during house to house combat in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004 where he single-handedly killed five jihadists.

For his Army service Bellavia has been awarded the Bronze Star, three Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals and the New York Conspicuous Service Cross.

He has dabbled in politics falling short in a run for New York's 27th Congressional seat and has worked as a radio talk show host.