Trump presents Medal of Honor to Eric Slover for role in Nicolas Maduro capture at SOTU

WASHINGTON, DC: During the State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 24, President Donald Trump honored Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover with the Medal of Honor for his heroic role in the mission to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The chamber reflected rare bipartisan unity as Slover and his wife, Amy, received a standing ovation from lawmakers in attendance.

Eric Slover recognized for Nicolas Maduro capture mission

President Donald Trump took a moment during the State of the Union address to recognize the extreme danger of the January operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

He explained that Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover piloted a Chinook helicopter tasked with carrying US troops into a heavily guarded area under the cover of night. As the aircraft approached its target, it came under heavy machine gun fire from all sides.

"There were many heroes in that January raid to capture Maduro. Really great heroes. It was very dangerous," Trump said.

Trump said Slover was struck by four bullets, causing severe injuries to his leg.

Even as he lost significant amounts of blood, Slover maintained control of the aircraft, ensuring the safety of those on board. Trump told the room, "the success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinge on Eric’s ability" to keep flying as blood "poured” down the aisle."

Trump honors Korean War veteran Royce Williams

The evening also included a tribute to another veteran who demonstrated remarkable skill in the past.

President Donald Trump honored Royce Williams, a 100-year-old retired Navy captain, for his actions during the Korean War. Williams was recognized for a long-classified 1952 aerial battle over the Sea of Japan, during which he fought off four Soviet fighter jets.

Although he was flying an aircraft considered technically inferior to those he faced, he successfully shot down all four enemy planes during a fierce 35-minute battle.