WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama will present the Medal of Honor on Monday to Army Staff Sergeant Ty Carter, who risked his life to save a wounded soldier who was pinned down by enemy fire during a battle in Afghanistan, the White House said.
This is the highest military honor the United States presents to a member of the armed services. Carter is the second U.S. service member to receive the award for bravery in the Oct. 3, 2009 battle, during which Taliban insurgents tried to overrun Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan's isolated Nuristan province.
This is the first battle since the Vietnam War in which two living service members earned the Medal of Honor. Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha received his medal in February.
Carter's medal is scheduled to be presented at the White House at 2:10 p.m. EDT (1810 GMT).
Carter, a cavalry scout with the 4th Infantry Division, also resupplied ammunition to fighting positions throughout the battle, gave first aid to a wounded soldier and killed enemy troops, the White House said in a statement.
Eight U.S. soldiers were killed and more than 25 were wounded in the battle.
Carter has earned other awards, including the Purple Heart.
Carter, who grew up in Spokane, Washington, enlisted in January 2008 and completed a second Afghanistan deployment in October. He is assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, serving at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, the White House said. Carter is married with three children.
The last battle for which two living service members received the Medal of Honor was the 1967 Battle of Ap Bac in Vietnam, a spokeswoman for the Congressional Medal of Honor Society said. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Scott Malone, Toni Reinhold)
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