November 11, 2015 9:15 a.m.
Congressman Ander Crenshaw, a member of the House DefenseAppropriations Subcommittee, today (11/9) formally recognized 87 Veterans from Nassau County with Veterans Special Recognition Medals at a formal ceremony at theFlorida State College at Jacksonville’s Nassau Center in Yulee, Florida.
“Nassau County Veterans have served our country with distinction and valor, each playing a key role in making sure our military was at the ready whenever and wherever needed,” said Crenshaw. “I thank each and every one of them for standing in the face of danger and hardship and give them my deep appreciation. In all, let us never forget that our nation’s greatness is drawn from the blood and sacrifice of honorable and courageous men and women.”
Over the past 14 years, Congressman Crenshaw has honored more than 2,300 thousand veterans who have served the nation for the periods from World War II, Korean War, Vietnam, and Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Nassau County Recipients of Crenshaw Fourth Congressional District Veterans Special Recognition Medal
Fernandina Beach
John W. Ashmead, Navy
George P. Beamer, Navy
Ula E. Bennett, Army
Thomas Blackwelder, Army
Harry E. Bowman, Navy
Paul Henry Brown, Army
Stanley R. Bunch, Air Force
Gerald B. Burford, Army
G. Kyle Burford, Army
Edward M. Coop, Air Force
William L. Cravey, Army
Noah S. Crawford, Navy
Steven John Crounse, Army
Andrew J. Curtin, Navy
Cara A. Curtin, Navy
Harry Duccilli, Jr.,Army Air Corps
Marshall D. Fullwood, Army
Erving Gilyard, Air Force
Thomas J. Gora, Air Force
Eugene R. Griffin, III, Army
John Halliday, Air Force
Roy Holland, Army Air Corps
Darryl J. Hooper, Army
James H. Jones, Air Force
Edward L. Kaywork, Army
Gene A. Kyzer, Air Force
Erik Larsen, Army
Joseph R. Laspina, Marine Corps
Andrea E. Latza-Meires, Air Force
Susan L. Marden, Navy
William G. McKeown, Army
Patrick A. Meires, Air Force
Presley K. Mitchell, Marine Corps
Cynthia J. Morley, Air Force
John D. Morley, Air Force
Mary A. Nuttall, Air Force
LeRoy Owens, Army
John D. Pruitt, Air Force
Francis R. Quattrene, Air Force
Josef I. Reece, Marine Corps
Charles E. Revels, Navy
Henry M. Rothschild, Army
John W. Scherer, Army
Eddie W. Shepherd, Coast Guard
Dale C. Stickrath, Army Air Corps
Richard Traum, Air Force
James B. Underwood, Air Force
Willie F. Watson, Marine Corps
Ralph L. Wickson, Coast Guard
Thomas T. Workman, Army
Amelia Island
John S. Billings, Army
Robert S. Bolan, Jr., Navy
Samuel O. Entriken, Army
Conrad Kohlman, Army
Paul N. Massing, Army
Kenneth W. Pennington, Air Force
George T. Pippin, III, Army
Bryceville
Jesse L. Wright, Air Force
Callahan
Robert R. Capps, Air Force
Robert J. De Angelo, Navy
James W. Hendricks, Army
Thomas J. Higginbotham, Navy
Henry L. Hines, Jr., Navy
William J. Marsh, Air Force
Alice F. Overstreet, Air Force
Kenneth B. Overstreet, Air Force
John W. Stephens, Jr., Army
Jerry A. Tyner, Army
Hilliard
Emily Jo Baumgartner, Army National Guard, Air Force National Guard
Joseph H. Bottoni, Army
Walter A. Hickey, Army
Roger L. Horton, Marine Corps and Florida Air National Guard
Victor X. Monroy, Army
Albert D. Owens, Army
Sylvester Ross, Navy
Nello R. Zortea, Navy
Yulee
Leo Green, Army
Gordon E. Jonsrud, Marine Corps
Leonard L. Lyons, Navy
William P. Monaghan, Navy
Alva B. Moody, Army
Albert F. Nelson, Air Force
Gordon A. Plugge, Jr., Coast Guard
Edwin C. Sherer, Army
Cleo F. Smith, Air Force
Dumas J. Vines, Jr., Army
Edward A. Zack, Air Force
Far be it from me to deny a veteran recognition, but what about every veteran who signed up and took an oath, up to and including their life to defend the US Constitution? It isn’t mine, or my fellow veterans fault that we served at a time excluded from your pre-defined categories. Hell, plenty of veterans in those categories never saw combat. I can’t even join the American Legion based on my honorable service, because it wasn’t in one of those pre-defined categories. Do we feel left out? Hell yes we do! If Ander Crenshaw wants to honor veterans let him introduce a bill that allows me and all my fellow honorably discharged veterans, join the American Legion. We have never renounced our oath! Sincerely, Andrew J Ward, Jr. USAF 437th MAW, CAFB 1977-1981
My Name is on the List to be Honored. But I respectfully declined Congressman Crenshaws Recognition. Enclosed with the Notice, that I would be honored was a Flyer stating “If you would like a Photo of yourself with the Congressman at presentation it would cost you, $$$ That got me angry. At every State of the Union Speech. Republican or Democrat. they all give a disabled Vet a Standing Ovation. The very next Day, Congress Defunds some Veterans program and gives Billions in subsidies and tax breaks to Corporations. So our government can’t afford to hire a guy to take a picture of a Veteran with a Politician? I visualize a Vet. missing legs, arms. minds, a true American Hero, paying to get a Picture with a politician. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Somehow we’ve lost the respect and admiration for all our Veterans. Don’t you think we owe them more?