By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 8, 2014 – In a ceremony that
brought 50,000 people to their feet, the senior enlisted advisor to the
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff presented an award yesterday to a decorated
World War II veteran for his service, a day after the nation and Europe marked
the anniversary 70 years ago of the D-Day invasion of Europe.
At halftime during a pre World Cup soccer match between Team
USA and Nigeria, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia stood before the
crowd at the EverBank Field here along with Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown to
honor former Army Pvt. 1st Class Samuel Muldrew, 91, a Purple Heart recipient,
who served from 1943 to ‘45.
Frail but walking, Muldrew waved to the soccer crowd, which
cheered for him as he accepted Battaglia’s award, a large coin that read,
“Proud member, United States Armed Forces,” in a box with a plaque that bore
his name and the dates he served during WWII.
Battaglia and Muldrew then saluted each other with finely
tuned precision.
Earlier, Battaglia’s wife, Lisa, met Brown’s wife, Santhea,
and gave her a charm bracelet bearing the Washington, D.C. memorials of each
branch of the military.
Team USA won the match against Nigeria, 2-1, and will go to
the World Cup in Brazil.
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