32. A Lifelong Quest Pays Off
In May, 2012, President Obama called Mitch Libman at his home in Florida. The president informed him that Leonard M. Kravitz would finally get his Medal of Honor, along with 23 other hero veterans identified in the investigation kicked off by Libman’s efforts. When Obama asked how long he had been pursuing this, Libman replied that he had been at it for longer than the president had been alive.
Obama cautioned Libman that it would still take some time: “You know, this is not something we can do overnight. We can’t do it next week“. Libman came back pure Big Apple: “That’s fine, the week after would be great“. As Libman recalled Obama’s response: “He totally cracked up“. It did not happen the week after, but two years later. Libman, by then 83 years old, was present at the White House ceremony to witness his childhood friend posthumously receive what he had earned at the cost of his life.