Artilleryman finally gets his medals

Antipodean Andy · Jun 1, 2008

Veteran receives medals he earned during World War II - The Lexington Dispatch

LINWOOD | When Davidson County’s Vernon Heitman left for basic training Dec. 28, 1942, his heart stayed here with Maryellen Burkhart.

His mind and body would be the U.S. Army’s for the next three years and four hours — yes, he calculated his service time to the hour — but he longed to come home to marry his sweetheart of the past six years.

So when Heitman was given his discharge papers Dec. 28, 1945, the last thing on his mind was making sure he was given all the medals he was due for his service. He wanted to see the face of his soon-to-be bride.

On Friday afternoon, more than 62 years after he came home from war, Heitman received five service medals he should have gotten in 1945. His wife, Maryellen Burkhart Heitman, watched with pride as Rep. Howard Coble, R-6th, gave Heitman the medals in an informal service at Backcountry Barbecue during a meeting with area farmers.

“It’s not uncommon with World War II veterans in particular that when it came time to go home, medals where the last thing on their mind,” Coble said. “They just wanted to go home.”

Heitman received the following medals: Good Conduct, American Campaign, European-African Middle Eastern Campaign with Bronze Star attachment, World War II Victory and Honorable Service Lapel Button.

Heitman got in touch with Coble’s district representative, Nancy Mazza, a few months ago concerning a health issue. He needed help navigating the Veterans Administration. When Mazza received his file, it contained only one page. The rest of the papers had been destroyed in a fire in 1973 at a storage area for military records in St. Louis. After putting all the information needed back together, Mazza discovered Heitman was due several service medals.

Until Heitman was given the medals Friday, he wasn’t sure what he was receiving.

During World War II, he was a T-5 corporal in the European Theater.

“My job was to keep ammunition for the 155 Hauser,” he said, referring to the large artillery piece that could shoot 20 miles away.

His unit arrived on Omaha Beach 1 1/2 weeks after D-Day. He traveled through eight countries and also fought in the Battle of the Bulge. His battalion was attached to Gen. George S. Patton’s Third Army.

“In one of his letters to me, he wrote if he ever got home he would never leave the states again,” Mrs. Heitman said.

When he came back to Davidson County after the war, he returned to his job at Dixie Furniture. But he believed God was calling him for something else. He left the furniture plant and went to work in construction, beginning his own company eight years later.

He retired from construction in 1962 to become a missionary with his wife in Africa for three years with the Christian Alliance, the denomination of his church, Grace Missionary Alliance. He used his skills in construction to build schools, churches and homes for the underprivileged.

When he returned to the U.S., he kept using his construction skills building churches for the Christian Alliance Conference in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Now 85, he reluctantly gave up the work two years ago.

“It was time to get someone else in there to do this,” he said. “I miss it.”
Click to expand...

Kyt · Jun 2, 2008

It's amazing how many veterans missed out on their medals during and after the war. Some have only just got their Silver Stars ( the equivalent to the Military Cross!).

Pathfinder · Jun 2, 2008

I wonder how many might still be waiting for their medals?

Log in or Sign up

Artilleryman finally gets his medals

Antipodean Andy New Member

Kyt Άρης

Pathfinder Guest

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

Artilleryman finally gets his medals

Thread Tools

Antipodean Andy New Member

Kyt Άρης

Pathfinder Guest

Share This Page

Useful Searches