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JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. (2/1/2013) – Several hundred
community members, well-wishers, dignitaries and friends gathered to
view the presentation of the Silver Star Medal to William V.
Wuorinen for heroic actions during combat operations in the Korean
War, at an award ceremony held at Naselle-Grays River Valley School,
Naselle, Wash., Jan. 30, 2013.
Silver Star recipient, William V. Wuorinen (center left), is surrounded by soldiers from 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division along with the unit's rear detachment commander and former platoon leader, Capt. Michael Centola (left), and retired Lt. Col. Gil Blue (right), after an award ceremony held at Naselle-Grays River Valley School, Naselle, Wash., Jan. 30,2013. The Silver Star medal was presented to Wuorinen for his "gallantry in action" between March 16, 1953, and March 17, 1953, while serving as an infantryman. Photo by
Army Spc. Reese Von Rogatsz |
An infantryman assigned to 1st Platoon, Company L, 3rd
Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division,
Pfc. Wuorinen received the award for "gallantry in action"
from Mar. 16, 1953, to Mar. 17, 1953, contributing to the
overwhelming success of the command's mission to drive
Chinese forces from Hill 355 in the vicinity of Un-Dong,
North Korea.
“Courage is contagious and when a brave
man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened,” said
U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler,
speaking the words of William Franklin “Billy” Graham, in
her address to the audience as she described Wuorinen's act
of bravery.
In the course of the battle, under
intense attack by hostile forces, Wuorinen and another
soldier first dragged to cover and then provided life-saving
treatment to a wounded senior officer, holding off an
attacking force of Chinese soldiers until reinforcements and
medical personnel arrived.
At one point, when capture
seemed imminent, they placed all of their personal
information except for their Geneva Convention cards in a
pile and burned them, denying it to the enemy.
The
lieutenant colonel and other soldier each received a Silver
Star as well as the Distinguished Service Cross but due to a
paperwork mistake, Wuorinen's award was only recently
approved by the Army Decorations Board.
“Our purpose
here today is to correct the colonel's error,” said Herrera
Beutler. “To provide an award that Mr. Wuorinen should have
received almost 60 years ago. He is a true American hero.”
In addition to the Silver Star, the congresswoman
presented Wuorinen with the National Defense Service Medal
and the Korean War Service Medal. He also received the
Republic of Korea's Ambassador for Peace medal from the
Korean Veterans Association.
“I don't know how to
make great speeches, but I do know how to say ‘thank you'
and mean it,” said Wuorinen in his remarks.
A
lifelong member of the Naselle community, Wuorinen returned
from the war, resumed work in the logging industry, married
and raised a family. He admitted to being troubled over the
years, having risked his life for a fellow soldier and not
receiving recognition for it.
“Today has changed all
that,” said Wuorinen, as he thanked all the individuals
involved in the effort to get the award approved. “It means
more to me than you can ever know.”
“Never give up,”
Wuorinen said, “because it will come to you someday.”
The 9th Infantry Regiment (“Manchu”) is one of the
oldest and most decorated active duty infantry units in the
Army. On behalf of “Manchu” soldiers, past, present, and
future, Capt. Michael Centola, rear detachment commander of
4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment., 4th Stryker Brigade
Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and soldiers from the
unit assisted in planning and conducting the ceremony.
“It was inspiring to see an entire small town take the
time out of their day to honor Mr. Wuorinen,” said Centola.
“From speaking with those gathered for the event, it was
obvious that he was well-loved by the community.”
The
Silver Star is currently awarded by all branches of the
armed forces to any person who, while serving in any
capacity, is cited for gallantry in action against an enemy
of the United States while engaged in military operations
involving conflict with an opposing force.
The Silver
Star medal had its beginning during World War I. An Act of
Congress of July 9, 1918, authorized the wearing by Army
personnel of a small silver star, three-sixteenths of an
inch in diameter, upon the service ribbon of a campaign
medal, to indicate “a citation for gallantry in action,
published in orders issued from headquarters of a general
officer, not warranting the award of a Medal of Honor or
Distinguished Service Cross.”
Known in the Army as
the “citation star,” the award was made retroactive, so that
all those cited for gallantry in action in previous
campaigns, even as far back as the Spanish-American War,
were eligible to wear it.
By Army Spc. Reese Von Rogatsz
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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