Updated: 5 May, 2008
Individual Medals (Alphabetically L-Z)
Reprimanded General to Be Awarded US Medal Retired South Korean Major-general Han Chul-yong, former commander of the 5679 Intelligence Unit, who was reprimanded for accusing the Ministry of National Defense of ignoring warning reports prior to the June 29 West Sea clash, is to be awarded the US "Legion of Merit." A ministry source said that it had opposed the award as Han had been reprimanded over the incident, but the USFK had replied this was not related to that and a presentation ceremony would be held soon. (Nov 02)
Colonel Carl Eifler has died aged 95 - Set up and commanded Detachment 101, the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) unit operating behind the lines in Burma during the Second World War. Awarded the Air Medal and the Legion of Merit for his bravery.
Posthumous medal awarded to Cheshire's Sgt. Petithory The U.S. military's highest peacetime honor was presented posthumously to Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel H. Petithory who was killed at the age of 32 in Afghanistan on Dec. 5, 2001, after a U.S. bomb missed its intended target and struck American troops and Afghan anti-Taliban fighters. He was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart after his death for his actions in Afghanistan. The friendly-fire incident also claimed the lives of Staff Sgt. Brian C. Posser of California and Master Sgt. Jefferson D. Davis of Tennessee, and left 19 American troops injured. The Legion of Merit award was approved by Congress on July 20, 1942, and an executive order establishing the award was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Oct. 24, 1942. The award may be presented for wartime endeavors; the peacetime medal is presented to those whose service is recognized as "an extremely difficult duty performed in an unprecedented and clearly exceptional manner," according to information about the award. The first recipient of the medal was a Navy nurse, Lt. Ann Agnes Bernatitus, who was honored for her work during the World War II campaign on Bataan and Corregidor from December 1941 to April 1942. The Legion of Merit is the first award ever to be presented to non-American military personnel. Foreign recipients of the honor include Nationalist China's Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and Maj. Stephan M. Dobrowalski of the Polish army. North Adams Transcript, MA - 27 May 2003
Late WWII POW Honored With Medal in Ark For more than two years as a prisoner of war in Germany, Ewell Ross McCright secretly recorded and saved a precious piece of history - information that would help expose Nazi atrocities and connect veterans and their families with the past. The World War II bombardier filled four ledgers with the backgrounds and war injuries of 2,194 soldiers. He hid the records under floorboards in one POW camp and secretly carried them with him in place of food on a forced 34-mile march to another camp. Nearly 60 years after McCright was freed and 14 years after his death, his family received the Legion of Merit medal in honor of the risky but valuable work he performed. "Because of (McCright's ledgers) veterans have found former POW roommates, adult children have felt connected with their fathers' pasts and 11 former POWs have received Purple Hearts," said U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark, who lobbied for the posthumous honor and presented McCright's sister, Marie Hall of Benton, with the medal. miami.com 22 Oct 04
UMNS# 04541-James Townsend, retired Air Force chaplain, dies The Rev. James (Jim) E. Townsend, 73, who was instrumental in establishing the first endowed professorship for pastoral care at United Methodist-related Africa University in Zimbabwe, died Nov. 16 in Nashville, Tenn. He also served in Korea, Germany and Vietnam during his 20 years as a United Methodist chaplain. During his service in the military, he was twice awarded the Legion of Merit, the nation's second highest service medal; the Air Force Commendation Medal and National Service Defense Medal. For his service in the Vietnam War, he received the Bronze Star Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with five Campaign Stars, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Republic of Vietnam Service Medal and the Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and three Oak Leaf Clusters. wfn.org 18 Nov 04
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Brig. General awarded Legion of Merit medal Gen. James F. Marshall of Shawnee was officially pinned with the Legion of Merit medal. The Legion of Merit medal was awarded to Marshall in the degree of officer for revolutionizing Air National Guard support to war-fighting commands through dozens of initiatives. news-star.com 11 Jan 05 |
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World War II vet gets replacements for medals stolen by home burglars A highly decorated 86-year-old World War II veteran said he felt violated when burglars slipped into his Reno home in January and made off with his prized medals, including a Bronze Star with Combat V and his Legion of Merit award. Salvia said he’s most proud of the Bronze Star with Combat V, earned while he was captain of a destroyer mine sweeper on Jan. 7, 1945. Of the eight other destroyers in the squadron, three were sunk by the Japanese, he said. He also covets his Legion of Merit medal, earned while working as an adviser to Argentina for the Navy for four years. Other medals replaced include: the Commendation medal, World War II Victory medal, American Defense Service medal with one bronze star, Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal with one bronze star, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign medal and the National Defense Service medal. rgj.com 3 Jul 04 |
Lives to remember: Pilot had 'vast experience' and a passion for flying When Glenn Alden Leister joined the Army in 1956, he thought it was for six months. He ended up staying for 26 years. Leister was a retired Army lieutenant colonel and a master Army aviator. During his service, he was awarded numerous medals. He flew two tours of duty in Vietnam and earned 19 Air medals, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, and a Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster. But in addition to courageous flying, Leister worked to better his craft and its students. He received a Legion of Merit award for his work in rewriting the Airman’s Information Manual and Standard Instrument Departure Procedures and a second Legion of Merit for developing procedures used in air traffic control, flight advisory and flight assistant to users of national airspace. newsadvance.com 18 Mar 06
Coast Guard honors its own for Hurricane Katrina rescues Almost 100 of the U.S. Coast Guard's pilots, engineers, divers, ship captains and crews who helped with Hurricane Katrina rescues were honored for their actions. The highest honors, the Legion of Merit, went to Capts. David R. Callahan and James D. Bjostad, both assigned to the Mobile Coast Guard base. Callahan commands the Aviation Training Center and Bjostad leads Sector Mobile. "I'm in charge of the boats. He does the planes," Bjostad said. Petty Officer Jay Leahr of Cincinnati, Ohio, received the Distinguished Flying Cross, for rescues on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Leahr, a rescue swimmer, recalled flying 11 sorties into the Gulfport area, saving people who had not evacuated from apartments. timesdaily.com 12 May 06
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Elliott
earns Legion of Merit, a rare honor for reservists David
Elliott is exceptional among many outstanding individuals who have
retired from the service. When he retired from the Naval Reserves at 51
after 38 years (eight on active duty and 30 in the Reserves), he was
awarded the Legion
of Merit.
A captain in the reserves, Elliott began
designing a volunteer unit of engineers that could go in after Marines
had cleared an area in Iraq and analyze the local situation, especially
if a plane had been shot down. The impetus for the unit was to improve
survivability of both personnel and equipment. The work that
led to Elliott's receiving the Legion of Merit came out of this first
idea as well as his work at Raytheon. What Elliott wanted to do was to
make the Navy work more like a business - more efficient, less wasteful
- by using its resources to the maximum capacity. It is very rare for a
reservist to be given that award - the sixth highest among U.S.
military awards. Only two other reservists have received the award in
the past 22 years. Elliott's Legion
of Merit came from the kind of heroism that occurs not
necessarily on the front lines of battle but in everyday life. His
citation says it all: "Captain Elliott's extraordinary vision, dynamic
leadership and inspiring devotion to duty highlights the culmination of
30 years of honorable and dedicated service and has reflected great
credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the
United States Naval Reserve." winfieldcourier.com 23 Feb
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Army General Kim Awarded US Medal Lt. Gen. Kim Jin-hoon, former commanding general of South Korean Army's special forces, was conferred the Legion of Merit, a top U.S. military decoration, by U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. B. B. Bell Saturday, according to the Army. The U.S. military honored Kim's contributions to enhancing the alliance between South Korea and the United States when he served as the special forces commander between November 2005 and October 2007, the service said. koreatimes.co.kr 9 Mar 08 |
Lifesaving Medal
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Coast Guard to honor California man with lifesaving medal The Coast Guard is presenting its highest lifesaving award to a California man who helped save his fellow passengers from a boat capsizing off Lanai earlier this year. Rear Admiral Charles D. Wurster is to present Scot Smithee with the Gold Lifesaving Medal the Gilroy Police Station in California, where Smithee is a police captain. Smithee and his wife, Brenda, were on a snorkeling cruise on March 8th when high winds caused the 47-foot catamaran to capsize with eight other people, including two crew members, aboard. Smithee was thrown overboard, while seven people, including his wife, were trapped under the overturned boat. Using a rope as a guide, Smithee repeatedly dove under the boat to lead all seven to safety, where they could wait atop the capsized Paragon One to be rescued. After three hours adrift, the passengers and crew members were rescued by a fishing boat. The Coast Guard medal is rarely given -- in 130 years it's only been awarded 691 times. kpua.net 30 Jun 04 |
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Petty Officer Receives Medal For Saving A Family A United States Navy Sailor received a special award on July 14 for saving the lives of eight victims involved in a car accident. On July 6, Petty Officer Douglas Devlin was driving on Interstate 25 from Denver to Colorado Springs when he witnessed an SUV go off the road and roll six times. David and Bonnie Hart were inside the Suburban along with their six children, two of whom were ejected onto the highway. After Devlin stopped to help and move the two girls who fell out, he pulled the six others from the vehicle who were bleeding profusely. "My initial reaction was, 'These people need help,'" Devlin said. "So I did everything in my power to help them." Devlin found clean towels in the wreckage to dress the wounds, wrapped up the 5-year-old daughter as she started to go into shock and gave CPR to Bonnie. "I lacerated seven tendons," Bonnie said. The Navy presented Devlin with the Navy Lifesaving Medal. Devlin said he's no hero but he's grateful the story had a happy ending. cbs4denver.com 18 Jul 06
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Marine Corps
Expeditionary Medal was authorized on March 1, 1929 for marines
who engaged in operations against an armed enemy on foreign soil or
for those whose service merited special recognition but for which
there is no award. Personnel who take part in additional
expeditions wear a small bronze star on the ribbon. The only exception
is for those personnel who defended Wake Island December 7 to 22,
1941; they wear a silver "W" on the service ribbon. On the
medal's ribbon they wear a bar inscribed "Wake Island." This
medal is also awarded to Navy personnel for service in Cuba, Lebanon,
Thailand and the Indian Ocean/Iran area. The medal is awarded to the
Marine Corps and the Navy for the following expeditions.
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JFK's Sunken WWII Boat Found Off Solomons (A World War Two patrol boat captained by President John F. Kennedy which was sunk by a Japanese destroyer has been found off the Solomon Islands by the man who tracked down the Titanic. The remains of wooden boat PT-109 was found on the seabed of the Blanket Strait off Gizo Island, about 236 miles northwest of the Solomons capital Honiara, by an international team led by U.S. oceanographer Robert Ballard. PT-109 (Jun 02) |
'V' for valor His patrol leader had already been wounded by a landmine explosion when Lance Cpl. Ryan McCabe, of Lowell, was handed a bayonet and told by his sergeant to start digging his way through the minefield. McCabe, 22, took his orders without hesitation. Just minutes before, McCabe and the rest of the six-man patrol he was part of on that mid-August day had started up a hill where they saw a bunker. The patrol leader took the lead, walking up a trail even though the troops saw landmines on the hillside. Nevertheless, the patrol leader soon detonated an anti-personnel mine, which blew off part of his leg. In recognition of his efforts, McCabe was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, with a combat V -- for valor in Afghanistan. lowellsun.com 30 May 05
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Amarillo soldier earns medal of achievement Cpl. Paul Burks went above and beyond the call of duty, according to the Marine Corps. Burks earned a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal after inspecting and cleaning numerous weapons to better prepare the Iraqi Police. amarillonet.com 13 Jun 04 |
Everett sailor awarded two medals A Naval Station Everett hospital corpsman was awarded a Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for likely saving the life of a Marine during combat in Iraq. Petty Officer 1st Class John Strough was a senior corpsman with the 1st Marine Division in November 2004 during combat operations in Fallujah, the citation says. On Nov. 9, a platoon was attacked with heavy bombardment, resulting in numerous casualties. Strough took charge, assessed the Marine's wounds and began treating them. After stopping the bleeding of one Marine with a severe neck wound, Strough began to treat another who had serious abdominal wounds, the citation says. As the Marine was being treated, rocket-propelled grenade fire continued. Strough covered the wounded Marine with his body, "potentially saving the Marine's life." His "initiative, perseverance and total dedication to duty reflected credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of" the Navy, the citation says. heraldnet.com 22 Apr 06
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Veterans Day 2002: Battle wounds now scars as medal arrives The Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V was given out to Charles Ridewood 59 years after the act of heroism due to an error in his records. (Nov 02) |
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Navy Hero to Earn Medal for 1942 Surgery at Sea In Sept. 1942, aboard the Navy submarine, Seaman 1st Class Darrell Rector was suffering from stomach pains, but with no doctor on board, he had turned to Pharmacist's Mate Wheeler B. Lipes for help. Lipes, whose only medical experience was three years as a hospital lab technician, immediately recognized Rector's symptoms as those of acute appendicitis. If his appendix wasn't removed, Rector would die. With no formal surgical training, Lipes performed an emergency appendectomy -- the first major surgery aboard a submarine. Rector survived, but died two years later in the sinking of the USS Tang. Although the historic surgery became firmly established in Navy lore, Lipes -- now 84 -- never received any official recognition for his feat. But over 60 years after the submarine surgery, Lipes will be awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for saving a fellow crewman's life. npr.org 19 Feb 05 |
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Iwo Jima photographer awarded posthumous Navy medal Joe Rosenthal, the photographer who captured the enduring World War II image of six battle-weary men raising the American flag over Iwo Jima, was posthumously awarded a Navy medal for distinguished public service. Rosenthal, who was 94 when he died in Northern California on Aug. 20, created "a true representation of the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity and death," Lehnert said. Other Marines, fellow Pulitzer Prize winners and family members also tried capturing in words what Rosenthal's most famous work caught with the click of his shutter on Feb. 23, 1945, as a 33-year-old combat photographer for The Associated Press. With the black-and-white image projected on a screen, former White House photographer David Hume Kennedy read tribute letters from two former presidents who served during World War II, Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. Bush, who recalled seeing the flag-raising photo in the newspaper as a Navy pilot, said that without the shot of pride it instilled, the war might have dragged on even longer. "I wonder if Joe fully appreciated what this photograph meant, and what it still means to the American people," Bush wrote. Kennedy said that even though Rosenthal disliked the limelight and humbly continued working as a photojournalist for 33 years after the war, his mentor's "one iconic tableau, frozen in time" cast a big shadow. "That picture has been there at every stage of my career, whispering in my ear, 'You can shoot far bigger and far better,'" he said. "It is the Gettysburg Address of photos. ... That photo hangs in the hearts of us all." |
Navy Unit Commendation
Senate back posthumous Medal of Freedom for Mays (A resolution urging President Bush to award a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom to Benjamin Mays was approved by the U.S. Senate) (Dec 01)
Local Vet Nominated for Medal In a letter to the president, Congressman Solomon Ortiz nominated Leonard Vasquez for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. For the last 26 years, Mr. Vasquez, who is a paralyzed vet, has helped other disabled veterans apply for their military benefits. cbs10kztv.com 22 Feb 05
Iowa Marine praised for brave rescue mission An Iowa Marine is receiving widespread praise for his bravery after leading a daring rescue mission in Iraq last fall. First Sergeant Brad Kasal says he learned three fellow Marines were wounded inside an enemy-controlled house during house-to-house battles with insurgents in Fallujah in November. He led Marines into the building to rescue them. In the process, he was shot seven times and suffered more than 40 shrapnel wounds after he bear-hugged a wounded Marine to protect him from a grenade explosion. He killed one enemy fighter in an exchange of rifle fire at point-blank range. One Marine died in the rescue mission, but the other Americans came out alive. There is talk Kasal is a finalist for the prestigious Medal of Freedom for his bravery. whotv.com 27 Feb 05
Posthumous medal for Czech who helped U.S. in W.W. II More than 63 years ago, Jan Bzoch disregarded the odds, his own self-interest and human nature to do what he thought was right. The U.S. military finally was able to fully recognize what Bzoch did while fighting alongside U.S. forces in World War II. Bzoch and six other Czechoslovakian citizens who, while living in the Philippines in 1941, joined with U.S. forces to try to hold off the forthcoming Japanese invasion. Bzoch and his countrymen did this despite assurances it was only a matter of time before U.S. forces would succumb to the invading Japanese and the chance they could be legally shot as spies. Bzoch and his countrymen not only served during the more than three months of fighting, but they also apparently did everything they could to hold off the Japanese. At one point, Quinn said, Bzoch and the other Czechoslovakians spent more than 36 hours exposed to enemy fire while they dismantled a rice mill to take back to U.S. troops in desperate need of food. Eventually the U.S. forces surrendered and Bzoch was taken prisoner. He died Jan. 9, 1945, when the unmarked prison ship he was on was bombed and sunk on its way to Japan. On July 6, 1945, the Medal of Freedom was granted to the Czech volunteers, however, his family knew nothing about it until last summer. mercurynews.com 12 Jun 05
Marines pay back service by reissuing hero’s medals They were assumed either lost in a hurricane when Ted Williams lived in Islamorada, Fla., or “borrowed” by Teddy Ballgame’s army of “friends,” says Williams’ lawyer,Peter Sutton.But thanks to Sutton’s efforts, the U.S. Marines have agreed to reissue to Claudia Williams, Ted’s daughter and heir, the many medals her father earned during his nearly five years of duty in two wars. “We would like to do something fitting and appropriate for this great American hero,” said Maj. Chris Hughes. “He gave up his greatest baseball years to serve his country.” Williams served as a Marine pilot from November 1942 to January 1946, then reenlisted in May 1952 and was discharged as a captain in July 1953. Among his many military honors: the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Air Medal with two gold stars, the World War II Victory Medal and the American Campaign Medal. news.bostonherald.com 16 Apr 06
Bush Names Medal of Freedom Winners President Bush on Thursday announced the recipients of this year's Presidential Medal of Freedom. Those to be honoured are:
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Hesburgh, Page Honored Notre Dame president emeritus, the Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., will be the first recipient of the NCAA’s President Gerald R. Ford Award, while former Irish All-America defensive end Alan Page will be the 37th recipient of the coveted Theodore Roosevelt Award. Among his numerous awards, Hesburgh has been presented the Congressional Gold Medal and the Medal of Freedom. He has received 150 honorary degrees, the most ever by one person. Hesburgh served as Notre Dame’s president from 1952 until June of 1987. BlueGold 9 Jan 04 |
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Local man receives ‘Medal of Freedom’ Israel Martinez (center) receives the Medal of Freedom from Sens. George Allen and Elizabeth Dole. Martinez received the award as a result of his work in the field of computer-system security and his contributions to drafts of the White House National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace. Wilson County News 31 Dec 03
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Medal of Merit - Executive Order 9637 – Oct 3, 1945 |
USA Medals to Macedonian Officers for their Merits in Iraq Admiral Henry G. Urlich, Joint Force Commander Naples and US Naval Forces Europe Commander, awarded in Skopje Macedonian officers Koco Hristovski and Esef Chesko with the Medal of Merit for their contribution to the US-led mission in Iraq. The Medal of Merit has been established in 1945 to honor US or soldiers of ally countries for their heroism. 77 Macedonian soldiers are serving in the peacekeeping missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. inf.gov.mk 29 Mar 06
Meritorious Service Medal:
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Dutch Officer Receives US Award Colonel Antoine John Andre Beukering, Royal Netherlands Army, has been awarded the United States Army Meritorious Service Medal (MSM). The award was presented by the AFNORTH ACOS J3/7, Major General Kenneth R. Bowra. Colonel Beukering served as the Senior Military Assistant to Major General Bowra, who was the Deputy Commander for KFOR III from March 1, 2000, to October 1, 2000. afnorth.nato.int Feb 02 |
Korean Gets Medal for War on Terror A Korean lieutenant colonel on active duty will be awarded a medal from the U.S. in recognition of his contributions to the U.S.’s “war on terror.” According to the army on January 8, In Seong-hwan, the commander of the training battalion for newly-enrolled soldiers of the 27th Infantry Division, will be decorated with the U.S. Meritorious Service Medal at the U.S. Embassy in Korea on January 20. In, who has served as a strategy-planning officer under the U.S. Central Command in Florida for a year since December 2003, made an appraisal report on strategic environment within the area during that period. The army explained that his report contributed significantly to operations of Central Command and its prosecution of the war on terror. english.donga.com 9 Jan 06
Award: Security Forces officer receives Bronze Star, team earns medals The commander of the 66th Security Forces Squadron received the Bronze Star Medal for his service in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom during the 66th Air Base Wing commander's call Feb. 15. Maj. Michael E. Gimbrone, along with three noncommissioned officers from the 66th SFS, received awards for their efforts while deployed to Southwest Asia during the first half of 2005. The team stood up the first-ever purely U.S. Air Force unit responsible for law and order operations at a U.S. Army installation within Iraq. Among the NCOs who were recognized, Master Sgt. Jody L. Laffon received the Meritorious Service Medal for contraband sweeps, unit morale assurance, and personnel and equipment accountability. Sergeant Laffon seized two rifles, more than 100 bottles of alcohol and unauthorized cellular phones, military articles, ballistic vests and digital cameras. Seizing this contraband material prevented their use in future possible terrorist attacks. Staff Sgt. Jason R. Lussier earned the Army Commendation Medal for his services as noncommissioned officer in charge of the supply section, crime scene photographer and member of a contraband sweep team. Sergeant Lussier's efforts safeguarded $500,000 worth of military equipment, provided key photographic evidence to military investigations, and uncovered possible intelligence gathering equipment and weapons leading to investigations of six people. Staff Sgt. Theodore R. Yost II also received the Army Commendation Medal for his work in customs, victim response and investigation assistance. Sergeant Yost detained one suspect after an intelligence-based sweep of local national interpreters, which protected against possible bomb-making materials. He also assured no harmful materials were transported into the continental U.S. while working with the customs division. blackanthem.com 3 Mar 06
Coast Guard honors its own for Hurricane Katrina rescues Almost 100 of the U.S. Coast Guard's pilots, engineers, divers, ship captains and crews who helped with Hurricane Katrina rescues were honored for their actions. The highest honors, the Legion of Merit, went to Capts. David R. Callahan and James D. Bjostad, both assigned to the Mobile Coast Guard base. Callahan commands the Aviation Training Center and Bjostad leads Sector Mobile. "I'm in charge of the boats. He does the planes," Bjostad said. Petty Officer Jay Leahr of Cincinnati, Ohio, received the Distinguished Flying Cross, for rescues on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Leahr, a rescue swimmer, recalled flying 11 sorties into the Gulfport area, saving people who had not evacuated from apartments. timesdaily.com 12 May 06
Gravely ill Army reservist to be honored for service Sgt. Gene Johnson put in a full day's work for his Army Reserve uni
