Wilson to Award D-Day Commemorative Medal to Normandy Veterans on Sunday 1/26/03

This Sunday, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) will award the French Jubilee of Liberty Commemorative Medal to 111 veterans of D-Day and the Normandy Campaign.The French government originally presented the French Jubilee of Liberty Medal to American servicemen for their participation in the Battle of Normandy during the 50th anniversary commemoration in 1994. Unfortunately, the French government is no longer awarding these medals. Therefore, partnering with the Celebrate Freedom Foundation, arrangements were made to procure the medals, which Rep. Wilson will present at a ceremony on January 26, 2003.Eligible veterans include American servicemen living in South Carolina's Second District today who participated in the D-Day landing and invasion in Normandy France on June 6, 1944 as well as those servicemen who served in Normandy from June 6, 1944 to August 31, 1944 comprising land forces, off-shore supporting personnel, and airmen flying cover overhead. South Carolina's Second Congressional District includes Beaufort, Jasper, Allendale, Aiken, Hampton, Barnwell, Calhoun, Lexington, Richland, and Orangeburg counties.On the front of the medal is inscribed, "Overlord 6 Juin 1944" on the upper part of the medal, with the flags of the allied nations and the names of the landing beaches completing the face of the medal. On the reverse side is the Torch of Freedom surrounded by the device of William the Conqueror ‘Diex Aie' (God is with us in Norman French).The Celebrate Freedom Foundation will have the inside of Seawells decorated with informative displays and memorabilia from the period. In addition, several vehicles that were actually used in the D-Day invasion, including a M3 Halftrack, a M3A1 Scout Car, Jeeps, and other vehicles will be parked in the parking lot at Seawells for public display. Celebrate Freedom has also made arrangements to have WW II re-enactors, dressed in uniforms from the period, from the 82nd Airborne Div. in North Carolina to participate.Included in the list of 111 veterans to receive medals is one woman, an Army Nurse who tended the wounded on the beaches of Normandy. Mrs. Teressa Stone (nee Robins) was a 1st Lieutenant in the Army Nurses Corps and arrived in Normandy at D-Day plus 3. "I am so proud of all these heroes of ‘the greatest generation'," Wilson said. "These brave men and women helped liberate Europe and made possible the freedoms that we enjoy today. This award and recognition is long overdue and I am truly honored to be able to present this special medal."###(COMPLETE LIST OF RECIPIENTS AND HOMETOWNS)FRENCH JUBILEE OF LIBERTY - COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL RECIPIENTSRank, Name, Branch, Hometown2ND LT JOE M. AGNEW, ARMY, CHAPINT SGT ODIS L. AMICK, ARMY, LITTLE MOUNTAINPFC SERBER R. AMICK, ARMY, PROSPERITYLT COL RICHARD C. ANDERSON, ARMY, FRIPP ISLANDCPL NORMAN R. BANNER, ARMY, SEABROOK1ST SGT EMIL A. BARTSCH, ARMY, COLUMBIACAPT CHARLES D. BEAMAN, ARMY, COLUMBIA1ST LT DARRELL J. BIRCH, ARMY, COLUMBIALT COL CLARENCE H. BISTLINE, ARMY, COLUMBIAS SGT DOUGLAS P. BLACKWELL, ARMY, LEXINGTONMM3C HENRY T. BOZARD, NAVY, ORANGEBURGS SGT CHARLES C. BRANHAM, ARMY, COLUMBIAPVT WILBUR B. BRAXTON, ARMY, CAYCEPVT THOMAS W. BRINN, ARMY/AF, CAYCESGT ARTHUR BROWN, ARMY, CHAPINS SGT HAROLD E. BROWN, SR., ARMY, COLUMBIAT5 MARTIN F. BROWN, ARMY, WEST COLUMBIAT SGT CHARLES E. BULLARD, ARMY/AF, CAMERONT4 HENRY O. BULLOCK, ARMY, WEST COLUMBIAT5 SHERROD L. BUMGARDNER, ARMY, COLUMBIAPFC CECIL M. CALDWELL, ARMY, LEXINGTONCPL DAVID L. CARTLEDGE, ARMY, COLUMBIASGT MAC D. CASSIDY, ARMY, COLUMBIAS SGT WILLIAM H. CATO, ARMY, BATESBURGCPL CHARLES W. CHANDLER, ARMY, COLUMBIAS SGT GEORGE I. CHASSEY, JR., ARMY/AF, WEST COLUMBIASGT ROBERT E. COOK, JR., ARMY, IRMOM SGT EDGAR P. COPELAN, ARMY, BEAUFORTPFC GEORGE M. COVINGTON, JR, ARMY, ST. MATTHEWSCAPT JAMES C. COVINGTON, JR., ARMY, COLUMBIA1ST LT SAMUEL F. CREWS, JR., ARMY, HAMPTONT SGT BUNYAN A. CUMALANDER, ARMY, LITTLE MOUNTAINSGT A. B. DAVIDSON , ARMY, COLUMBIAMAJ SAM DAUGHERTY, ARMYT5 VERNON C. DAUGHTRY, ARMY, COLUMBIASN 1C BILLY R. DEESE, NAVY, LANCASTER1ST LT JOHN R. DIETERMAN, ARMY, COLUMBIALT ROBERT A. DILLARD, NAVY, COLUMBIACAPT JAMES H. DYSON, ARMY, BEAUFORTS SGT EARLE H. EAGLE, ARMY/AF, COLUMBIAMAJ HUGH J. EDWARDS, ARMY, COLUMBIAPFC JOSEPH E. ELEAZER, ARMY, WEST COLUMBIAT4 WILLIAM D. FOILES, ARMY, COLUMBIA1ST LT ISAAC S. FRENCH, ARMY, IRMOLT(J.g.) LEON GARBER, NAVY, COLUMBIA1ST LT ANTONIO J. GAUDIO, ARMY, HILTON HEADT SGT LUTHER E. GODWIN, ARMY/AF, COLUMBIACAPT WALTER F. GOING, JR., ARMY, COLUMBIACAPT WILLIAM R. HARRELL, ARMY, COLUMBIACAPT HERBERT G. HENRIKSON, ARMY, COLUMBIAS SGT RAYMOND F. HILLIS, ARMY, SWANSEAS SGT CARL R. HOOKSTRA, ARMY/AF, BEAUFORTT3 DAVID R. HUBBARD, ARMY, COLUMBIAS SGT JAMES C. HUTTO, ARMY, GASTONPVT HARRIS J. JACKSON, ARMY, SANTEEPFC CARLOS H. JERDEN, JR., ARMY, COLUMBIASGT ROBERT B. JOHNSON, ARMY, COLUMBIALT CURTIS C. JONES, NAVY, COLUMBIAT4 DENLY W. JONES, ARMY , HOPKINSPFC HUGH E. JONES, ARMY, HOPKINSPFC LEON H. JONES, ARMY, COLUMBIAPFC DANIEL S. JUDD, ARMY, COLUMBIAPFC MARVIN E. KING, ARMY, COLUMBIA2ND LT FRED KLEIN, ARMY, COLUMBIA1ST LT JAMES H. LEACH, ARMY, BEAUFORTT5 MASON LIVINGSTON, ARMY, ORANGEBURGCAPT RICHARD M. LOVELACE, ARMY, COLUMBIA2ND LT ALVA M. LUMPKIN, JR., ARMY, COLUMBIAT5 ELIAS S. MACK, JR., ARMY, LEXINGTONSGT CHARLES L. McCALL, ARMY, CHAPINMAJ RUSSELL A. McCOY, JR., ARMY, COLUMBIAPVT CHARLES L. McCULLOUGH, ARMY, COLUMBIACPL BERLEY L. MILLER, SR., ARMY, WHITMIRERN 1C ELLIS A. MINRATH, COAST GUARD, COLUMBIAPFC LIONEL C. MITCHELL, ARMY, COLUMBIAS SGT RALPH N. MIXON, ARMY, HAMPTONPFC LEWIS H. MONROE, ARMY, COLUMBIAPVT WILLIAM A. MOORE, ARMY, SWANSEAT SGT JAMES A. MORROW, ARMY/AF, COLUMBIAS SGT CHARLES H. NASH, ARMY, COLUMBIALT (j.g.) EDMUND G. NOYES, NAVY, ST. HELENA ISLANDCPL GEORGE W. OSWALT, ARMY, GILBERTSGT GERALD S. PAULK, ARMY, BARNWELLMAJ ROBERT R. PEARCE, ARMY/AF, COLUMBIAPFC DELMER R. PHILLIPPI, ARMY, RIDGELANDPFC CHARLES D. PHILLIPS, JR., ARMY, MYRTLE BEACHCPL EARL POLK, ARMY, HAMPTONLT OTTO F. REENSTJERNA, NAVY, LEXINGTONPFC THEODORE F. REYNOLDS, ARMY, GASTONCPL THOMAS F. RICHEY, ARMY, IRMOT SGT JAMES W. ROBERTSON, ARMY, COLUMBIA1ST LT AUGUSTA T. ROBINS, ARMY, NEWBERRYPFC GROVER C. SANDERS, ARMY, CLARKS HILLS SGT ROBERT J. SCHEMEL, ARMY/AF, COLUMBIAS SGT JOSEPH E. SCOTT, ARMY, CAYCES SGT JOE F. SETTLE, ARMY, GASTONPFC CURTIS SHARPE , ARMY, CAYCEPVT JOE L. SHEALY, ARMY, GILBERTPFC EDWARD J. SHIELDS, ARMY, GASTON1ST LT GEORGE R. SNELL, ARMY, HILTON HEAD2ND LT CHARLES W. STOCKELL, ARMY, BEAUFORTCPL KENNETH B. SUMMERS, ARMY, GASTONS SGT JOHNNIE T. TROUT, SR., ARMY, LEXINGTONCAPT CLAUDE R. VAUGHN, ARMY, COLUMBIACPL WAID P. WAGNER, ARMY, COLUMBIAS SGT ALVA S. WALKER, ARMY, FRIPP ISLANDT SGT JOHN E. WAY, ARMY, MINERAL BLUFF, GA1ST LT FRED D. WELCH, ARMY, COLUMBIASGT WILLIAM F. WELLNER, JR., ARMY, WEST COLUMBIASN GORDON R. WINGARD, NAVY, COLUMBIAPFC JESSE L. WYNN, ARMY, BEAUFORT###