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NORMANDY MEDAL OF THE JUBILEE OF LIBERTY
For Immediate Release
May 23, 2002
Contact: Wayne Maloney
(907) 271-5915
 
STEVENS TO PRESENT NORMANDY MEDAL OF THE JUBILEE OF LIBERTY AT MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY

Seven Alaskans, all veterans of the World War II Normandy Campaign, will receive the Normandy Medal of the Jubilee of Liberty from U.S. Senator Ted Stevens during a ceremony on Memorial Day afternoon. The medal ceremony will be held at the American Legion Post 1 in Anchorage.

"This medal was minted at the direction of the Regional Council of Normandy and the Governor of Normandy and is available only to those who participated in the Normandy Campaign," said Stevens. "Many eligible veterans received medals when they returned to France for the 50th anniversary of the landing. I'm honored to recognize these Alaskan veterans who were unable to attend the anniversary ceremony in France by presenting them with their medals and a special certificate on Memorial Day."

Those receiving medals on Monday include:

Oliver Bickar, 78, of Sitka: Served as a Technician 4th grade, Army 2009th Ordinance Maintenance Company.

Donald Cook, 82, of Fairbanks: Served as a 1st Lieutenant Army officer in charge of a heavy weapons platoon of F Company, 22nd Infantry, 4th Division. After the war, he spent 30 years teaching at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. His wife and son Galen will join him at the ceremony. Galen Cook will speak about his father's experiences during the invasion.

Ernest Glanz, 86, of Anchorage: Served as a Sergeant in the Army, Company B, 341st Engineers.

Daniel Furlong, 79, of Kenai: Served as a Sergeant in the Army's 508th Parachute, 82nd Airborne Division. Mr. Furlong is a member of the Kenai VFW.

John Hastie of Anchorage: Served as a Private, First Class in the 390th AAA AW Battalion during the invasion. Hastie was commissioned as an officer in 1950, and retired with the rank of Major in 1970.

Clayton Helgeson, 78, of Soldotna: Served as a Technician/4th grade in the Army's 736th Tank Battalion. He is a member of the Kenai VFW.

Lenard Reel, 79, of Homer: Served as a Technical Sergeant in the 146th Combat Engineering, Army. He's a member of the Anchor Point VFW.

The ceremony will begin at 3:00 p.m. on the American Legion Post grounds at 840 West Fireweed Lane on Memorial Day, May 27th. In the event of rain the ceremony will be moved indoors. In order to be eligible for a medal, a veteran must have served in Normandy between June 6th and August 31st, 1944.

Senator Stevens is a World War II veteran. He served in the China-Burma-India theater supporting the Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force and is the recipient of two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Air Medals, and the Yuan Hai Medal Awarded by the Republic of China.

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