WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - It was a big day at the White House on Monday for retired Army Lt. Col. Bruce Crandall, also known as Old Snake.

Forty-one years after repeatedly staring death in the face in Vietnam, the former helicopter pilot was awarded the United States' highest military award, the Medal of Honor.

On Nov. 14, 1965, Crandall, now 74, was involved in one of the big, early battles of the Vietnam War, in South Vietnam in the la Drang Valley.

Crandall's mission began as one to take soldiers to a landing zone called X-Ray with his unarmed Huey helicopter. He was in the lead of 16 Hueys.

After several routine lifts into the area, the Americans came under an intense attack from the North Vietnamese army. On Crandall's next flight, three soldiers on his helicopter were killed and three wounded.

"But instead of lifting off to safety, Major Crandall kept his chopper on the ground, in the direct line of enemy fire, so that four wounded soldiers could be loaded aboard," said President George W. Bush in presenting Crandall the award.

He made 22 trips that day, most of them under intense fire, airlifting out at least 70 wounded soldiers. His wingman, Ed Freeman, was awarded similar honors in 2001, and their story was told in the 2002 Mel Gibson movie, "We Were Soldiers."

Crandall, whose radio call sign was "Ancient Serpent 6," a moniker that some of his men changed to "Old Snake," was played in the movie by Greg Kinnear. Crandall lives in retirement in Manchester, Washington.

U.S. presidents have awarded more than 3,400 Medals of Honor for valor in various wars since the decoration's creation in 1861.

AlertNet news is provided by