Washington ( CNN ) -- President Barack Obama , in awarding an overdue posthumous Medal of Honor to a Vietnam hero Wednesday , paid tribute to soldiers who received a cold reception when they returned home from the Southeast Asian war . `` This month , we 'll begin to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War , '' Obama said at the White House ceremony . `` A time when , to our shame , the soldiers did n't receive the respect and the thanks that they deserve . A mistake that must never be repeated . '' Obama , who presented Army Spc . Leslie Sabo Jr. 's medal to his widow , Rose Mary Sabo Brown , singled out Sabo 's 101st Airborne Division unit , Bravo Company , as typifying selfless and patriotic service by Vietnam veterans . One woman 's persistence to honor military heroes . `` You did your job , you served with honor , you made us proud and , as Les would have wanted it , I ask members of Bravo Company to stand and accept the gratitude of our nation , '' the president said . Transcript : Obama 's remarks at Medal of Honor ceremony . A long applause accompanied the recognition . Sabo , of Ellwood City , Pennsylvania , was killed May 10 , 1970 , in Cambodia . But it was n't until 1999 , when a 101st Airborne veteran was doing research at the National Archives , did the box with Sabo 's Medal of Honor paperwork surface . That set the wheels in motion for Wednesday 's eventual honor . Four decades later , Medal of Honor for newlywed hero 's sacrifice . `` Today , 42 years after that sacrifice , we are setting the record straight , '' Obama said . `` This story was almost lost to history . '' He and Brown paid tribute to that researcher , Alton Mabb . Overheard on CNN.com : Who deserves a Medal of Honor ? Brown , speaking after the ceremony , said the seven other men who died in the ambush should also be remembered as heroes . `` I know a piece of cloth and a medal wo n't bring him back , '' she said . `` But my heart beams with pride for Leslie because he is finally receiving tribute for his sacrifices and bravery . '' Living Marine gets Medal of Honor for bravery in Afghanistan . Sabo 's heroism , near the Se San River in Cambodia , is documented by the Department of Defense : . `` Even though his platoon was ambushed from all sides by a large enemy force , Sabo charged the enemy position , killing several enemy soldiers . He then assaulted an enemy flanking force , successfully drawing their fire away from friendly soldiers and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat . While securing a resupply of ammunition , an enemy grenade landed nearby . Specialist Sabo picked it up , threw it , and shielded a wounded comrade with his own body -- absorbing the brunt of the blast and saving his comrade 's life . `` Although wounded by the grenade blast , Sabo continued to charge the enemy 's bunker . After receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire , he crawled toward the enemy emplacement and , when in position , threw a grenade into the bunker . The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire , but also ended Specialist Sabo 's life . '' The Medal of Honor : What is it ? Sabo was born in Europe to a family of Hungarian refugees . He and his bride spent just 30 days together in the fall of 1969 before he shipped out . `` We only had that one month together as a married couple , '' Brown said . `` He left for Vietnam , and I never saw him again . '' Obama , before bestowing the award , provided details of Sabo 's sacrifice . `` He saved his comrades , who meant more to him than life . '' Are you a veteran ? Who was a hero in your unit , or what kind of heroic action have you witnessed ? Please share in the comments below . CNN 's Larry Shaughnessy contributed to this report .
Widow pays tribute to others also killed in battle . President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Honor to a GI 's widow . Spc . Leslie Sabo Jr. was married for one month before shipping out to Vietnam . Sabo died in a firefight in which he shielded his mates from a grenade .