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Purple Heart comes late for World War II veteran
Marines on Guam
By Al Benn Montgomery Advertiser
Bob Slone’s dream was to finally get the Purple Heart he deserved for wounds received in one of World War II’s bloodiest battles.
He nearly died on a ridge in Guam where his Marine unit had set up machine guns overlooking a dirt road occupied by Japanese troops.
Suddenly, firing began and a mortar round sailed toward Slone’s gun emplacement. The explosion nearly tore off his left hand, but he kept fighting. Dead and dying Marines surrounded him. He was lucky.
Slone spent 15 months in a military hospital, where a finger was amputated. He was able to keep his thumb, even though it would be useless for the rest of his 85 years.
Medals were awarded to him, but the one he wanted most eluded him. The reason was the place where he was discharged — a hospital instead of a Marine base.
His wife once ordered a Purple Heart replica and had it mounted, but they both knew something was lacking. It wasn’t the real thing.
Last fall, friends learned of his dream and began to contact those who might have the authority to help.
Everett Cole, then national service officer with the Military Order of the Purple Heart in Montgomery, got the ball rolling by relaying information on Slone and asking that a medal be sent to Selma as soon as possible.
Mary Kaye Lewis of Panama City, Fla., wrote a letter to Navy officials, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions and anybody else who might find a way to get it for her dad.
“He was awarded two Bronze Stars and other campaign medals, but not what he really wanted,” she said. “He never knew I had written the letter because I wanted to surprise him.”
As the months passed, age and illness began to take their toll and the 6-foot-6-inch former Marine slowly lost his grip on life.
Family members and friends knew he didn’t have much time left, so they increased their efforts to find somebody to help him with his Purple Heart quest.
Read more at Montgomery Advertiser
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=21499
Posted by Bob Higgins on Mar 14 2010, With 0 Reads, Filed under Veterans Affairs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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My Dad was just sent to WWII Memorial in Washington DC on March 10-11, 2010 by HBO and Honor Flight Network (New England) to be honored with other Veterans that served in the Pacific.
My dad was also wounded in the war…shot in his hand, back, and has a metal plate in his heard. He spent 12 months in military hospitals…first in Brisbane, Australia then shipped to a hospital in Frisco, and on to Cushing General, where he recuperated, not only from his physical injuries, but mostly from his Psychological Disorders/scars from being in the war.
He thinks he received a purple heart, but it was lost over the years. He certainly does deserve to have one for the wounds received in one of World War II’s bloodiest battles.
Can anyone help me to find out how I can get a purple heart for him.
Thank you, with much appreciation for a timely response. Looking forward to hearing from someone, please?
Warmest Wishes,
Carolyn Carpenter-Meister
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