‘On behalf of a grateful nation’

WWII vet, 95, finally receives medals from service

Tim Forsberg
Posted 9/25/14

It’s been 73 years since Percy Wilson joined the Army on April 10, 1941, to fight in World War II.

On Friday, July 25, at U.S. Sen. Jack Reed’s office in Cranston, the now 95-year-old veteran …

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‘On behalf of a grateful nation’

WWII vet, 95, finally receives medals from service

Posted

It’s been 73 years since Percy Wilson joined the Army on April 10, 1941, to fight in World War II.

On Friday, July 25, at U.S. Sen. Jack Reed’s office in Cranston, the now 95-year-old veteran and Mapleville resident finally received the long-delayed medals he earned during his time in the service.

“Thank you for your service, and we are honored to have you here today,” Reed said. “It’s been a long time, but the day has finally come.”

Marge Fenley, Wilson’s daughter, recently contacted the senator’s office regarding her father’s accomplishments during the war, with the hopes of obtaining the medals for him.

“I wrote to Sen. Reed about seven weeks ago about the medals, and they got right back to me. They’ve been fantastic through this whole process,” she said.

Wilson, only 22 when he entered the service, distinguished himself during some of the war’s major campaigns. He served with the Headquarters Battery Field Artillery Battalion, and saw action in Normandy, the Rhineland and other areas.

“This is a great opportunity to honor a great American who served his country with distinction,” Reed said. “Today is an opportunity to give you the awards you earned, and on behalf of a grateful nation we thank you for your service.”

Wilson was awarded the Good Conduct Medal for “exemplary conduct, efficiency and fidelity while on active duty engaged in combat operations with an enemy of the United States during World War II.”

Reed also presented Wilson with several other awards, including the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Silver Service Star, the World War II Victory Medal, the Honorable Service Lapel Button for World War II and the Marksman Badge with Carbine Bar.

Wilson’s family attended the impassioned ceremony, their eyes filled with tears of pride as his accomplishments were explained.

“This is wonderful for him and a very emotional time for our family,” said his daughter Charlene Holmes.

When asked to speak, Wilson summed up his tremendous contributions with only a few short words.

“I enjoyed my time in the service,” he said. “I was drafted the 10th day of April, 1941. I stayed in five years, and I think it was worth it.”

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