So award the Medal of Honor
I grew up with the Vietnam War. Such a horrible, senseless tragedy if there ever was one. Lost an uncle, a highly decorated captain, for what? My brother served there, and I very nearly went myself.
The CMOH is, like the DSC, SS, BSM w/V ARCOM w/V etc, an award that has specific criteria for consideration.
Sgt Engles performance in the face of the enemy exceeded the criteria for the BSM, but did not rise to the level of the SS.
Not every valorous act is the same.
As to why it sometimes takes so long- it depends. Sometimes actions are lost or misplaced, sometimes the act is not brought to the attention of the specific services commendation process for decades- does not diminish the act, just delays the awards process.
Having been on awards committees for significant award consideration, it is almost a legal-like process- gathering first-hand information, confirming the proposed citation, examining unit records etc. Then the recommendation goes to the award authority (for BSMs etc , usually a MACOM Cdr ( 2 star or higher, with the CMOH going all the way to DCSPER (Army Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel)a 4 star).
I had the pleasure of being an escort officer for a CMOH veteran years ago, I politely asked how he felt about the award. He replied he could only accept it on behalf of the men he lost and could not save. It was theirs, they died for it, it was his bear, he lived through it.
Duty, Honor, Country; This we’ll defend.