The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Veteran’s medals restored
William G. Rea: Congresswoman Claudia Tenney helps soldier’s son replace father’s lost medals
UTICA, N.Y. » Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, R-22, hosted a medal ceremony on Friday for the late World War II Army veteran-technician fifth grade William G. Rea.
Craig Hook, Rea’s son, contacted Tenney as the original set of his father’s medals were lost. The Army was able to replace his father’s medals after Tenney contacted them on Hook’s behalf.
“It’s an honor to recover these medals for William G. Rea and present themto his family,” Tenney said. “Our veterans sacrifice so much to serve our country and don’t always get the recognition they deserve. As the mother of a Marine, it means so much to me when we can honor a veteran in this way. I urge all veterans who may not have re- ceived their medals, or who lost their medals, to contact our office as we can assist in recovering this important recognition.”
Rea served in the Infantry in the Army during World War II as well as in the American and European Theatres. During his time in the Army, Rea earned the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army (and previously, the United States Army Air Forces). It is awarded for extraordinary heroism while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
On Friday, Tenney honored Rea with the Distinguished Service Cross; the American Defense Service Medal; the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver service star and one bronze service star; the World War II Victory Medal; and an Honorable Service Lapel Button-World War II (aka “Ruptured Duck)
For more information on how Tenney’s office can assist veterans or recover medals, visit https://tenney.house.gov/constituentservices/casework/va.htm or call 315-732-0713.