War hero David Bellavia credits Australian journalist Michael Ware during Trump ...

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An American war hero who was recently awarded the nation's highest military honour credits an embedded Australian journalist for his bravery. 

Former Staff Sargeant David Bellavia single-handedly took on a house full of 'suicidal jihadists' in the Battle of Fallujah in Iraq in 2004.

He became the first surviving Medal of Honour recipient on Tuesday when US President Donald Trump recognised his bravery in a White House ceremony.

Sgt Bellavia, now 43, was leading a squad in support of Operation Phantom Fury in November 2004.

After helping his platoon escape fire, he entered a house and killed at least four insurgents who were firing rocket-propelled grenades, the White House said.

Sgt Bellavia acknowledged the persistence of former News Corp Australia reporter Michael Ware, who encouraged him to re-enter a jihadist hideout to save his platoon. 

'I looked at Michael Ware and I needed someone to just give me some confidence, some ability that I could do (it),' Sgt Bellavia said.

'At that point in my life a guy from Australia, who I literally didn't want anything to do with, an embedded reporter, that embedded reporter gave me a lot of confidence that this was a very rational idea.' 

Ware followed Sgt Bellavia into the home with his camera and became the only eyewitness of his bravery, eventually using the footage to create his award winning Netflix film Only The Dead. 

Sgt Bellavia said he initially considered Ware a nuisance, and said he had no interest in working with journalists on the battlefield.

He said he didn't want to feel like he had to 'babysit' a journalist, but by the end of the

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