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| -Land of the Free |
| WWII Veteran Gets The Medals He Never Knew He Was Eligible For |
| 2019-06-04 |
| [Stripes] For more than half a century, Raymond Loring Chambers believed he was one of the fortunate few who survived World War II unscathed. For that, the 93-year-old Navy veteran was grateful. When his three years were up, Chambers returned to Michigan in 1946. He was 21, had seen combat, but came home with no medals. He just put the war behind him. Chambers became a father, went to work selling soft serve ice cream in a traveling carnival, and learned about "love at first sight" the day he met the animal keeper's daughter. They married four weeks after the day they met. They have now spent 60 years together, raising children and grandchildren in their Gibsonton home. "I was lucky," he said. "I've lived a wonderful life." Turns out, he wasn't the war. Nor did he actually escape injury. Tears welled in Chambers eyes as U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, presented him Friday with the medals he never knew he had been eligible for while fighting in the Pacific theater. The medal ceremony took place at the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library as Chambers; wife, children and grandchildren looked on. Chambers was only 18 when he was first deployed to fight with the Navy special forces alongside the 5th Marine Division. Yet he survived one of the theaters bloodiest clashes in 1945: the Battle of Iwo Jima. "During this brutal battle that went on for weeks Mr. Chambers was actually shot in the leg," Castor said. But it wasn't until a decade ago that shrapnel was discovered in his leg ‐ six decades after he last saw combat. After a long confirmation process, the Department of Defense granted Chambers the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with Two Bronze Stars; one for his "heroic" achievement and service and one for his "meritorious" achievement and service in a combat zone, Castor said. He was also presented with the American Campaign Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon and the World War II Victory Medal. Because heroes remain heroes? HT Drew at Weasel Zippers. Keep reading... |
| Posted by:Woodrow |
| #3 Every time I get an X-ray the technician wants to know what all of the white spots are They say it looks like little bits of metal This guy was one of the old tough guys from that generation too bad he had to wait so long for the recognition he so obviously deserves |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2019-06-04 15:30 |
| #2 Salt of the earth. |
| Posted by: Dron66046 2019-06-04 12:16 |
| #1 Seems like he should also have received a Purple Heart. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2019-06-04 00:50 |