thedrifter
06-19-07, 05:45 AM
Father, son honored for service in 2 wars
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
By SHELBY G. SPIRES
Times Aerospace Writer shelby.spires@htimes.com
Harrills to receive Audie Murphy award on Fourth
A Harvest father and son, both Marine veterans, will receive a patriotism honor on the Fourth of July for their military service that spanned combat assignments in Vietnam and Iraq.
Retired Lt. Col. John D. Harrill Jr. and his son, Maj. John D. Harrill III, will receive the Audie Murphy Patriotism Award at the Spirit of America Festival in Decatur's Point Mallard Park.
Lt. Col. Harrill served as a military adviser to South Vietnamese military forces in 1970-71. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his actions in the Vietnam War. He retired from the Marines in 1983 and served 17 years as chief instructor for the Johnson High School JROTC program.
Maj. Harrill was awarded the Silver Star for charging into enemy machine gun positions to break up ambushes set by insurgents in late March and early April 2004 in Ramadi - a city of about 450,000 about 60 miles west of Baghdad. He met with President Bush last July 4 in the Oval Office to receive the award.
Awards are important to many veterans, said David Carney, one of the event's organizers, because "it means somebody cares about what they do."
"All the veteran has ever asked for is for somebody to say, 'Thank you.' Some give their whole lives, and then they expect nothing in return except to be remembered," said Carney, chairman of the VIP Awards Program for the Spirit of America Festival. "When we honor our combat veterans, we honor all veterans and say, 'Thank you.' "
The patriotism award is named for Audie Murphy, a World War II Army veteran and America's most decorated soldier. Over 27 months of combat, Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor and 32 other medals for valor.
Retired Marine Lt. Gen. Frank Libutti, a Vietnam veteran, will present the awards.
Other awards to be given during the festival include:
The Heimlich Humanitarian Award. It will be presented to the U.S. Marine Corps Kilo Battery, based in Huntsville. Kilo Battery has supported more than 10,000 children in 11 counties of North Alabama with its annual Toys For Tots program.
The Barrett C. Shelton Freedom Award. It will be presented jointly to Barbara Kelly, Sally Smartt and Nell Standridge for their years of work beautifying and preserving Delano Park in Decatur.
Ellie
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
By SHELBY G. SPIRES
Times Aerospace Writer shelby.spires@htimes.com
Harrills to receive Audie Murphy award on Fourth
A Harvest father and son, both Marine veterans, will receive a patriotism honor on the Fourth of July for their military service that spanned combat assignments in Vietnam and Iraq.
Retired Lt. Col. John D. Harrill Jr. and his son, Maj. John D. Harrill III, will receive the Audie Murphy Patriotism Award at the Spirit of America Festival in Decatur's Point Mallard Park.
Lt. Col. Harrill served as a military adviser to South Vietnamese military forces in 1970-71. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his actions in the Vietnam War. He retired from the Marines in 1983 and served 17 years as chief instructor for the Johnson High School JROTC program.
Maj. Harrill was awarded the Silver Star for charging into enemy machine gun positions to break up ambushes set by insurgents in late March and early April 2004 in Ramadi - a city of about 450,000 about 60 miles west of Baghdad. He met with President Bush last July 4 in the Oval Office to receive the award.
Awards are important to many veterans, said David Carney, one of the event's organizers, because "it means somebody cares about what they do."
"All the veteran has ever asked for is for somebody to say, 'Thank you.' Some give their whole lives, and then they expect nothing in return except to be remembered," said Carney, chairman of the VIP Awards Program for the Spirit of America Festival. "When we honor our combat veterans, we honor all veterans and say, 'Thank you.' "
The patriotism award is named for Audie Murphy, a World War II Army veteran and America's most decorated soldier. Over 27 months of combat, Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor and 32 other medals for valor.
Retired Marine Lt. Gen. Frank Libutti, a Vietnam veteran, will present the awards.
Other awards to be given during the festival include:
The Heimlich Humanitarian Award. It will be presented to the U.S. Marine Corps Kilo Battery, based in Huntsville. Kilo Battery has supported more than 10,000 children in 11 counties of North Alabama with its annual Toys For Tots program.
The Barrett C. Shelton Freedom Award. It will be presented jointly to Barbara Kelly, Sally Smartt and Nell Standridge for their years of work beautifying and preserving Delano Park in Decatur.
Ellie