Retired veteran receives service medals years later
Wayne Walden, a retired veteran, received all of the medals he earned during his service in the United States Army during World War II, Korea and Vietnam after Senator Claire McCaskill’s office was made aware that he had never received them. Pictured at right is Rylea Luckfield, constituent services representative for Senator Claire McCaskill’s office.
Davis said, “I knew he had a few medals but never imagined there were nine more he should have been awarded.”
David Stokley, Southwest Missouri District Director for Sen. Claire McCaskill, said that the reason Walden, among other veterans, did not receive their medals from service was mostly due to bureaucracy. Stokley said, “You have thousands of young men coming back, all with their service papers. Some of them just don’t get dealt with. Once we made the inquiry, it was pretty simple to get them medals for him.”
Once Sen. McCaskill’s office set the wheels in motion, they planned a ceremony to present the medals to Walden. The event was conducted by Rylea Luckfield, constituent services representative for Sen. McCaskill, although Stokley said they were hoping the senator would be able to attend. “We were hoping her schedule would clear up for her to be able to attend, but it just wasn’t possible,” he said.
Luckfield opened the ceremony on Thursday, June 22, in the afternoon with a piece of prose Walden requested she read. Then she launched into Walden’s accomplishments.
Brigadier General David Boyle pinned the medals on Walden in front of a crowd of around 30 people at the Barry County historic courthouse. Walden appeared humbled as his shirt was weighed down by the pins and medals.
So why would Walden go all of these years without asking for what was rightfully his?
Brig. Gen. Boyle hypothesized, “He never said, ‘It’s about me.’ He said, ‘It’s about the nation.”
Walden’s daughter said it didn’t surprise her that he hadn’t sought out the resolution. “Like a lot of veterans, dad rarely talked about his experiences with war. I never knew about them until I heard him talk yesterday. We now know his reason for applying for them is to achieve some closure.”
Davis said Walden didn’t speak a lot of his service, “Before his retirement, we were stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, and I heard him talking about reading names of men he had helped train being killed in Vietnam.
“Around 2005, my Mom showed me a picture of my Dad taken in Okinawa at the base of the Suicide Cliffs. I asked him about
the picture as there were skulls all around. He told me during the battle over the islands, the Japanese military told the citizens horror stories of what U.S. servicemen would do to women and children. As a result many jumped to their death holding their babies.
“In the last few years he has been more open, sharing with our family being stationed in Nuremberg, Germany and attending the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. My son, Kyle Davis lived in Germany (2013-2014) and he took me to Nuremberg to trace his grandfather’s steps. We sat in the same court room my Dad had back in 1945-46. It was a powerful moment.”
Shea added, “I look at my dad’s grandchildren and great grandchildren and smile, for along with his service to our country, they are his legacy.”
After receiving all of his medals, Walden addressed the crowd gathered at the historic courthouse’s chambers with a short message. He said, “This is the greatest nation on earth. Enjoy your freedom.”
Walden received nine medals on Thursday:
• Army commendation Medal
• Good Conduct Medal and Clasp Bronze (Good Conduct #5)
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Army of Occupation Medal & Germany Clasp & Japan Clasp
• National Defense Service Medal & Bronze Star Attachment (Single)
• Vietnam Service Medal & Bronze Star Attachment (Triple)
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Device
• Expert Badge & Carbine Bar.
David Stokley, Southwest Missouri District Director for Sen. Claire McCaskill, said that the reason Walden, among other veterans, did not receive their medals from service was mostly due to bureaucracy. Stokley said, “You have thousands of young men coming back, all with their service papers. Some of them just don’t get dealt with. Once we made the inquiry, it was pretty simple to get them medals for him.”
Once Sen. McCaskill’s office set the wheels in motion, they planned a ceremony to present the medals to Walden. The event was conducted by Rylea Luckfield, constituent services representative for Sen. McCaskill, although Stokley said they were hoping the senator would be able to attend. “We were hoping her schedule would clear up for her to be able to attend, but it just wasn’t possible,” he said.
Luckfield opened the ceremony on Thursday, June 22, in the afternoon with a piece of prose Walden requested she read. Then she launched into Walden’s accomplishments.
Brigadier General David Boyle pinned the medals on Walden in front of a crowd of around 30 people at the Barry County historic courthouse. Walden appeared humbled as his shirt was weighed down by the pins and medals.
So why would Walden go all of these years without asking for what was rightfully his?
Brig. Gen. Boyle hypothesized, “He never said, ‘It’s about me.’ He said, ‘It’s about the nation.”
Walden’s daughter said it didn’t surprise her that he hadn’t sought out the resolution. “Like a lot of veterans, dad rarely talked about his experiences with war. I never knew about them until I heard him talk yesterday. We now know his reason for applying for them is to achieve some closure.”
Davis said Walden didn’t speak a lot of his service, “Before his retirement, we were stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, and I heard him talking about reading names of men he had helped train being killed in Vietnam.
“Around 2005, my Mom showed me a picture of my Dad taken in Okinawa at the base of the Suicide Cliffs. I asked him about
the picture as there were skulls all around. He told me during the battle over the islands, the Japanese military told the citizens horror stories of what U.S. servicemen would do to women and children. As a result many jumped to their death holding their babies.
“In the last few years he has been more open, sharing with our family being stationed in Nuremberg, Germany and attending the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. My son, Kyle Davis lived in Germany (2013-2014) and he took me to Nuremberg to trace his grandfather’s steps. We sat in the same court room my Dad had back in 1945-46. It was a powerful moment.”
Shea added, “I look at my dad’s grandchildren and great grandchildren and smile, for along with his service to our country, they are his legacy.”
After receiving all of his medals, Walden addressed the crowd gathered at the historic courthouse’s chambers with a short message. He said, “This is the greatest nation on earth. Enjoy your freedom.”
Walden received nine medals on Thursday:
• Army commendation Medal
• Good Conduct Medal and Clasp Bronze (Good Conduct #5)
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Army of Occupation Medal & Germany Clasp & Japan Clasp
• National Defense Service Medal & Bronze Star Attachment (Single)
• Vietnam Service Medal & Bronze Star Attachment (Triple)
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Device
• Expert Badge & Carbine Bar.