thedrifter
12-19-08, 07:01 AM
A lifetime later, Purple Heart winner finally gets his 'dress blues'
Thursday, December 18, 2008 4:21 PM CST
By Bob Holliday
bholliday@pantagraph.com
BLOOMINGTON -- Harold Berg ran a knife blade along the seam of the bright red Christmas present. After hesitating briefly, he pulled out a white Marine dress cap and tried it on. It was a little tight.
That was understandable because friends had collected a Marine dress uniform for Berg from various sources, including eBay.
Despite winning a Purple Heart after being wounded twice in the service, the 83-year-old World War II hero from Normal never had the uniform referred to as “dress blues.”
Until Thursday, that is.
“We consider him an American hero. That’s why we did this,” said Loy Conley, a Marine veteran of the Korean War.
Dale Mills, who served as a Marine in Vietnam, was in on the surprise as well.
“This is something Loy and I decided we needed to do,” Mills said.
The three have coffee Thursday mornings at CJ’s Restaurant, and Berg’s lack of dress blues came up in casual conversation. The friends vowed to correct the oversight.
Berg, then 17 and flushed with patriotism, joined the Marines during his junior year at Woodruff High School in Peoria.
He had other financial priorities
He got the green standard-issue uniform, but a dress blues were something he’d have had to buy. At a time, however, he had other financial priorities.
He became a member of the Marine Raiders, an elite unit that conducted amphibious light infantry warfare and operated behind the lines. There were four Raider Battalions, and Berg, a sergeant, was a member of the 1st Raider Battalion under the command of Merritt “Red” Edson.
Berg was wounded in Guam and Okinawa by enemy grenades, suffering shoulder, hand, chest and face injuries.
Berg and his high school sweetheart, Lorraine, had three children. He worked 40 years for what is now Country Insurance and Financial Services, ending as a field supervisor.
Thoughts of his Marine days never were far from his mind. He maintains contact with other Raiders as president and director of the U.S. Marine Raider Association.
Touched by his friends’ thoughtfulness in finding the uniform, he said he may display it in his home or wear it in a parade.
“This is fabulous,” he said.
Ellie
Thursday, December 18, 2008 4:21 PM CST
By Bob Holliday
bholliday@pantagraph.com
BLOOMINGTON -- Harold Berg ran a knife blade along the seam of the bright red Christmas present. After hesitating briefly, he pulled out a white Marine dress cap and tried it on. It was a little tight.
That was understandable because friends had collected a Marine dress uniform for Berg from various sources, including eBay.
Despite winning a Purple Heart after being wounded twice in the service, the 83-year-old World War II hero from Normal never had the uniform referred to as “dress blues.”
Until Thursday, that is.
“We consider him an American hero. That’s why we did this,” said Loy Conley, a Marine veteran of the Korean War.
Dale Mills, who served as a Marine in Vietnam, was in on the surprise as well.
“This is something Loy and I decided we needed to do,” Mills said.
The three have coffee Thursday mornings at CJ’s Restaurant, and Berg’s lack of dress blues came up in casual conversation. The friends vowed to correct the oversight.
Berg, then 17 and flushed with patriotism, joined the Marines during his junior year at Woodruff High School in Peoria.
He had other financial priorities
He got the green standard-issue uniform, but a dress blues were something he’d have had to buy. At a time, however, he had other financial priorities.
He became a member of the Marine Raiders, an elite unit that conducted amphibious light infantry warfare and operated behind the lines. There were four Raider Battalions, and Berg, a sergeant, was a member of the 1st Raider Battalion under the command of Merritt “Red” Edson.
Berg was wounded in Guam and Okinawa by enemy grenades, suffering shoulder, hand, chest and face injuries.
Berg and his high school sweetheart, Lorraine, had three children. He worked 40 years for what is now Country Insurance and Financial Services, ending as a field supervisor.
Thoughts of his Marine days never were far from his mind. He maintains contact with other Raiders as president and director of the U.S. Marine Raider Association.
Touched by his friends’ thoughtfulness in finding the uniform, he said he may display it in his home or wear it in a parade.
“This is fabulous,” he said.
Ellie