Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient. One day before his 26th birthday, he received his draft notice. He was working at cedar plant in Greensboro, North Carolina, and was active in the Central Assembly Church of God. He taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, played the guitar and had plans to become a minister. Inducted into service in Beckley, West Virginia, he was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. Less than a year later, "Preacher" became the platoon leader of the 1st Squad. On June 7, 1968, while on a combat mission in Kontum City, the platoon "came under heavy barrage of automatic weapons fire from a well concealed company-size enemy force. Volunteering to escort two wounded comrades to an evacuation point, Private First Class McDonald crawled through intense fire to destroy with a grenade an enemy automatic weapon threatening the safety of the evacuation. Returning to his platoon, he again volunteered to provide covering fire for the maneuver of the platoon from its exposed position. Realizing the threat he posed, enemy gunners concentrated their fire on PFC McDonald's position, seriously wounding him. Despite his painful wounds, PFC McDonald recovered the weapon of a wounded machine gunner to provide accurate covering fire for the gunner's evacuation. When other soldiers were pinned down by a heavy volume of fire from a hostile machinegun to his front, PFC McDonald crawled toward the enemy position to destroy it with grenades. He was mortally wounded in this intrepid action. PFC McDonald's gallantry at the risk of his life which resulted in the saving of the lives of his comrades, is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army." The Medal of Honor was approved April 23, 1970 and presented to his twin sister. In June, 2009, his portrait and citation were displayed in the County Courthouse in Welch, West Virginia, a special tribute to McDowell County's first Medal of Honor recipient.