WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Van T. Barfoot Medal Of Honor Highway named

Van T. Barfoot Medal Of Honor Highway named

LEAKE COUNTY, MS (WLBT)- The Mississippi Department Of Transportation officially named a part of Highway 16 in Leake County Friday as the Van T. Barefoot Medal Of Honor Highway.

Barfoot is the last living Congressional Medal Of Honor recipient from Mississippi, from World War II. A sign was erected at the intersection of Mississippi Highways 35 and 16 in Carthage to designate the section of Highway 16 from Carthage to the Leake/Neshoba County Line.

It came as the result of an Act of the Mississippi Legislature in 2009. Barfoot, by himself, killed seven Germans, and took 17 German soldiers prisoner in Italy near Carano, in a single day, day May 23rd 1944. He then assisted two seriously wounded Americans 1,700 yards to safety and received the nation's highest military honor later that year.

"Don't place me on a pedestal. I am just who grew up at Rye's Creek and was very fortunate that god has been very good to me," said Barfoot, when asked how old he is now, says above 90.

He lives near his daughter in Richmond, Virginia, but still says he is from Edinburg, Mississippi.