A Co Mayo man who died in the Vietnam War is set to be commemorated this weekend by having a US naval ship named after him.
Patrick Gallagher, 23, was killed in an ambush in Danang in 1967.
The new US naval vessel will be named the USS Patrick Gallagher in his honour.
His sister Pauline said that while tomorrow would be an "exciting day for us as a family" they are still mourning the loss of Patrick.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said her brother had immigrated to the US in 1962 and was training to be a solicitor when the war in Vietnam escalated.
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He was killed on his "very last day" in Vietnam on 13 March 1967, she said, having previously saved the lives of three of his comrades when grenades were thrown into the bunker they were sleeping in.
"He threw the first two grenades out of the bunker but the third landed between two of his comrades," she explained.
"He threw himself on that grenade in order to absorb the explosion and shouted at the others to get out, which they did. He picked up the grenade and threw it into a nearby lake where it exploded and nobody was injured.
"For that he received the navy's highest medal."
Ms Gallagher said a petition had been started to have a ship named after Patrick and was supported by US Senator Chuck Schumer.
"Tomorrow is a very exciting day for us as a family but we still have the loss of our brother, who we miss dearly," Ms Gallagher said.
"The ship is a great honour but at the same time the grief still remains."
