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Clemmons Vietnam vet receives medals
Clemmons, NC,
October 4, 2006
Leonard Hayes remembers shooting walnuts off a tree at home when he was a boy. That early practice served him well during Army basic training, where he earned a marksmanship award. He later served in Vietnam in1969-70. On Monday, he received some very lat
Clemmons Courier Leonard Hayes remembers shooting walnuts off a tree at home when he was a boy. That early practice served him well during Army basic training, where he earned a marksmanship award. He later served in Vietnam in1969-70. On Monday, he received some very late medals commemorating that service from Rep. Virginia Foxx. Along with two other servicemen from the area, Hayes received the awards with some pomp and ceremony at the congressional office here. Hayes was a 1963 graduate of Southwest High School. After graduating from Wingate, he enlisted in the Army. Foxx presented him the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with One Bronze Star and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Others receiving awards were Ray Sipe, 83, of Taylorsville, who served with Gen. Patton’s Third army in World War II, and Russell Troutman, 82, of Winston-Salem. Troutman served in both World War II and the Korean War. Congresswoman Foxx presented him with the Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver Star, National Defense Service Medal, Honorable Service Lapel Button, Expert Badge with Submachine Gun Bar, Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle Bar and the Marksman Badge and Carbine Bar. Sipe received the Bronze Star Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award and Honorable Service Lapel Button. "One of the constituent services I enjoy the most is helping obtain medals for our nation's veterans," said Congresswoman. Foxx. "These well deserved medals are a symbol of courage, accomplishment, bravery and honor in the line of duty. The medals bestowed upon these three men are important symbols from our nation thanking them for answering the call of duty and putting their lives on the line in the advancement of freedom against tyranny." |