Steve Daines Presides Over Purple Heart Medal Ceremony in Missoula [YouTube]
Montana Congressman Steve Daines was in Missoula on Monday in the Florence Hotel Governor's Room to confer Purple Heart Medals of Valor to three veterans, one posthumously, during a Decoration Ceremony .
Narrator Terry Kent, from Daines' Great Falls office, introduced the Decoration Ceremony. First, a posthumous medal was presented to Charles McFerrin, the nephew of Private Jack Nesbitt, after Nesbitt was killed in action during World War II.
Corporal Don Raykow, USMC, was decorated for his bravery in action while serving in Vietnam in 1968, and Pfc. Fernando Terrones, U.S. Army, received his Purple Heart after being injured by an exploding IED while serving in Afghanistan.
All three soldiers and their families appealed to Congressman Daines' office for help in researching and confirming their Purple Heart Medals.
Daines gave credit to his staff for their hard work in doing all the research necessary to bring the Decoration Ceremony to pass.
"I truly cannot take credit for what happened here today," Daines said. "I am thankful for a great staff who put all this together, who went to battle on behalf of all these veterans through the congressional inquiry process, and they helped these heroes receive the recognition they were due."
Daines said it was an honor to present the medals and certificates to the two veterans and to the family members of a third.
"Three different wars are represented here today, with three new heroes added to the rolls of Purple Heart recipients that's estimated to be nearly 1.8 million members long," Daines said. "Your stories and your bravery will never be forgotten. You will never be forgotten."