ROSEWOOD – King Adam of Überstadt has awarded his father, Vice Admiral Michael von Friedeck, their country’s highest military honor.
Vice Admiral von Friedeck became the first person awarded the Military Cross for his actions during the August storm in which he saved the entire Überstadti fleet with the king aboard.
Adam presented the medal, certificate, and citation to von Friedeck in the Royal Residency during New Year’s Eve celebrations. He read the following excerpts from the citation:
The King of Überstadt takes pride in presenting the Military Cross to Vice Admiral Michael von Friedeck, His Majesty’s Navy, for exceptional gallantry demonstrated as the pilot of His Majesty’s Naval Ship Bert George, which ran into a gale in the Haro Strait on 29 August 2015 with the King aboard. At great personal risk to himself, Vice Admiral Oberstadt guaranteed the safety of the King and of the entire fleet. His valor is worthy of the highest recognition.
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Vice Admiral von Friedeck performed these heroic deeds despite multiple opportunities to intentionally ground and abandon the fleet for the security of shore, or to cut the tow line of HMNS Bergstrom rather than save the vessel. Instead, he returned the fleet to port while protecting the King, risking his life and sustaining multiple injuries in his battle against the forces of nature.
The king said to those present that when the award was created in 2013, he had not anticipated bestowing it in the foreseeable future. “We don’t go to war,” he said of his nation, explaining why he did not realistically expect to grant an award for military valor.
