Former marine receives commendations 55 years after Vietnam service

1 year ago 45

GETTING THE RECOGNITION HE DESERVES. HE EARNED FIVE MEDALS, TWO CITATIONS AND A RIBBON AND A BADGE FOR HIS SERVICE. ALL THAT BEFORE HE TURNED 20 YEARS OLD. BUT HE NEVER RECEIVED THOSE COMMENDATIONS. TODAY, THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION FIXED THAT DEPUTY TIM THIRTEEN’S LISA CRANE WAS AT THE CEREMONY AND THIS IS THE LONG TIME COMING. LISA. YEAH, IT SURE WAS. 55 YEARS TO BE EXACT, AFTER LANCE CORPORAL STEVEN PEGLER WAS SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES IN VIETNAM. HE WAS DISCHARGED. AND AFTER ALL THAT TIME, ALL THE MEDALS AND COMMENDATIONS HE EARNED DURING HIS TIME THERE, WELL, THEY JUST KIND OF FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS. THAT IS UNTIL HIS 91 YEAR OLD MOTHER MENTIONED IT TO HIM. I AM 75 YEARS OLD NOW. I WAS 19 WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE STATES AND THAT WAS A ROUGH TIME. STEVEN PEGLER WAS A TEENAGER WHEN HE WENT TO VIETNAM TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY. HE WAS 19 WHEN HE WAS SHOT. HIS MOTHER RECEIVED THIS TELEGRAM ALERTING HER TO HIS CONDITION. HE SUSTAINED GUNSHOT WOUNDS TO THE CHEST. LEFT ME AND RIGHT ARM FROM HOSPITAL, A RIFLE FIRE. WHEN HIS MOTHER PULLED THAT MORE THAN 50 YEAR OLD TELEGRAM OUT A FEW YEARS AGO, PEGLER STARTED THINKING HE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A PURPLE HEART FOR HIS INJURIES, BUT NEVER DID. SO HE AND HIS MOM STARTED LOOKING INTO IT. MY MOM WAS THERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND I WAS GLAD YOU KNOW, THIS HAPPENED. WHY SHE’S STILL HERE. HE I DON’T KNOW WHETHER NOW, BUT SHE’S STILL SHE’S GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR MONEY. NOW, BUGLER HAS ALL THE BRASS, INCLUDING THAT PURPLE HEART. HE SAYS HE’S PROUD TO WEAR THEM AND GLAD TO FEEL APPRECIATE IT. IT’S SOMETHING THAT WAS MISSING FOR MANY VIETNAM VETS IN THE 1960S. IT FEELS GREAT. YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO ADMIT, IT FEELS GOOD TO BE ACCEPTED AND TO BE PRAISED FOR THAT MATTER. SO IT’S IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE RECOGNIZE YOU, WHY YOU LIVE IN. WELL, AS YOU COULD SEE IT WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY IN THAT CEREMONY TODAY. SO THERE ARE CLEARLY PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO THANK MR. PEGLER AND ALSO RESPECT HIM FOR HI

The former marine was wounded in Vietnam in 1968

A Vietnam War veteran is finally getting the recognition he deserves. He earned five medals, two citations, a ribbon and a badge for his service — all that before he turned 20 years old. But he never received those commendations. Today, the Veterans Administration fixed that 55 years after Lance Corporal Stephen Peagler was shot multiple times in Vietnam. After he was discharged, That is until his 91-year-old mother mentioned it to him a few years ago.Peagler says, “I am 75 years old now. I was 19 when I got back to the states, and that was a rough time.” He was a teenager when he went to Vietnam to serve his country. At 19, when he was shot, his mother received a telegram alerting her to his condition. Patricia Harris, with the American Legion, read from the telegram, “He sustained gunshot wounds to the chest, left knee and right arm from hostile rifle fire.” When his mother pulled that more than 50-year-old telegram out a few years ago, Peagler started thinking he should've gotten a Purple Heart for his injuries but never did. So, he and his mom started looking into it. Peagler says, “My mom was there, you know, every step of the way. And I was glad, you know, this happened while she's still here. She's under the weather now, but she's going to be watching.”Now Peagler has all the brass, including that Purple Heart. He says he's proud to wear them and glad to feel appreciated, something that was missing for many Vietnam vets in the 1960s. Peagler says, “It feels great. You know, I have to admit, it feels good to be accepted and to be praised, for that matter. So, it's important people recognize you while you're living.” It was a standing-room-only crowd for that ceremony at the VA. So clearly, there are plenty of people who respect and want to thank this former marine.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

Peagler says, “I am 75 years old now. I was 19 when I got back to the states, and that was a rough time.” He was a teenager when he went to Vietnam to serve his country. At 19, when he was shot, his mother received a telegram alerting her to his condition. Patricia Harris, with the American Legion, read from the telegram, “He sustained gunshot wounds to the chest, left knee and right arm from hostile rifle fire.”

When his mother pulled that more than 50-year-old telegram out a few years ago, Peagler started thinking he should've gotten a Purple Heart for his injuries but never did. So, he and his mom started looking into it. Peagler says, “My mom was there, you know, every step of the way. And I was glad, you know, this happened while she's still here. She's under the weather now, but she's going to be watching.”

Now Peagler has all the brass, including that Purple Heart. He says he's proud to wear them and glad to feel appreciated, something that was missing for many Vietnam vets in the 1960s. Peagler says, “It feels great. You know, I have to admit, it feels good to be accepted and to be praised, for that matter. So, it's important people recognize you while you're living.”

It was a standing-room-only crowd for that ceremony at the VA. So clearly, there are plenty of people who respect and want to thank this former marine.

Read Entire Article