thedrifter
09-09-08, 01:59 PM
Fort Oglethorpe resident, WWII vet, receives his medals
09/08/08
Kevin Myrick
Fort Oglethorpe resident Raymond Seay waited a long time before he received his combat medals, but the day finally came on Wednesday when U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey presented Seay with the medals he earned 63 years ago in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Seay, a resident of Fort Oglethorpe for more than 30 years, served in the Pacific theater of operations during World War II and saw combat on faraway shores on Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima.
Gingrey presented Seay with the American Defense Service Medal, a World War II victory medal, an Asiatic Pacific Service Medal and a Presidential Unit Citation with a bronze star for his six years, four months and 10 days of service with the Marines.
“The real story here is what (Seay) did during the war,” Gingrey said during the presentation.
Seay also received a flag that flew
Easter Sunday was also the same day more than 60 years ago that Seay converted to Christianity and decided to be come a pastor, which he served as for more than 50 years in Alabama, South Carolina and Texas before settling down in Georgia. Somewhere along the way during the long years of rambling, his medals went missing.
“I’ve never stopped being a pastor,” Seay said. “I might be retired but I still preach to anyone that will listen any chance I get.”
Seay’s daughter, Becky Lynch, said that they found out that her father was eligible to be reissued his medals after her sister, Janet
Raymond Seay examines one of his re-issued medals while his wife, Margaret, U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey look on.
McFarlin, found out about the process at a ve
Raymond Seay examines one of his re-issued medals while his wife, Margaret, U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey look on.
terans workshop.
Once the sisters got the ball rolling, Gin-grey’s office decided to get the congressman to present the medals himself.
“They were so instrumental in getting this done,” Lynch said. “This was so precious, and it’s been amazing for him and the rest of us in the family.”
Seay’s memory of the war still remains sharp, and he said that his most memorable moment during his service came in February 1945 when Marines raised the flag over the island.
“I was going back to the ships to pick up ammo to take back to shore when a sailor told me to turn around,” Seay said. “And there was our flag flying over the island. That day I felt like I could have leaped over the island.”
Video
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=724&NewsID=924064&CategoryID=3418&on=1
Ellie
09/08/08
Kevin Myrick
Fort Oglethorpe resident Raymond Seay waited a long time before he received his combat medals, but the day finally came on Wednesday when U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey presented Seay with the medals he earned 63 years ago in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Seay, a resident of Fort Oglethorpe for more than 30 years, served in the Pacific theater of operations during World War II and saw combat on faraway shores on Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima.
Gingrey presented Seay with the American Defense Service Medal, a World War II victory medal, an Asiatic Pacific Service Medal and a Presidential Unit Citation with a bronze star for his six years, four months and 10 days of service with the Marines.
“The real story here is what (Seay) did during the war,” Gingrey said during the presentation.
Seay also received a flag that flew
Easter Sunday was also the same day more than 60 years ago that Seay converted to Christianity and decided to be come a pastor, which he served as for more than 50 years in Alabama, South Carolina and Texas before settling down in Georgia. Somewhere along the way during the long years of rambling, his medals went missing.
“I’ve never stopped being a pastor,” Seay said. “I might be retired but I still preach to anyone that will listen any chance I get.”
Seay’s daughter, Becky Lynch, said that they found out that her father was eligible to be reissued his medals after her sister, Janet
Raymond Seay examines one of his re-issued medals while his wife, Margaret, U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey look on.
McFarlin, found out about the process at a ve
Raymond Seay examines one of his re-issued medals while his wife, Margaret, U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey look on.
terans workshop.
Once the sisters got the ball rolling, Gin-grey’s office decided to get the congressman to present the medals himself.
“They were so instrumental in getting this done,” Lynch said. “This was so precious, and it’s been amazing for him and the rest of us in the family.”
Seay’s memory of the war still remains sharp, and he said that his most memorable moment during his service came in February 1945 when Marines raised the flag over the island.
“I was going back to the ships to pick up ammo to take back to shore when a sailor told me to turn around,” Seay said. “And there was our flag flying over the island. That day I felt like I could have leaped over the island.”
Video
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=724&NewsID=924064&CategoryID=3418&on=1
Ellie