ROSS FARROW/NEWS-SENTINEL
Big Christmas Eve surprise — Lodi's Harold Merrill gets Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars
Harold "Bud" Merrill, 93, shows off the Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars he was presented by three Lodi American Legion officers during a surprise gathering at his home on Christmas Eve afternoon.
ROSS FARROW/NEWS-SENTINEL
Big Christmas Eve surprise — Lodi's Harold Merrill gets Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars
Lodi resident Harold "Bud" Merrill is shown during his Army days during World War II. The Lodi American Legion presented Harold "Bud" Merrill with his long-lost Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars during a surprise gathering at his home on Christmas Eve afternoon.
ROSS FARROW/NEWS-SENTINEL
Big Christmas Eve surprise — Lodi's Harold Merrill gets Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars
Here is one of Harold "Bud" Merrill's Bronze Stars that was presented to him by three Lodi American Legion officers during a surprise gathering at his home on Christmas Eve afternoon. For more photos, see Lodinews.com.
ROSS FARROW/NEWS-SENTINEL
Big Christmas Eve surprise — Lodi's Harold Merrill gets Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars
The Lodi American Legion presented Harold "Bud" Merrill with his long-lost Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars during a surprise gathering at his home on Christmas Eve afternoon.
Harold “Bud” Merrill
Posted: Monday, December 31, 2012 5:48 pm
|
Updated: 4:52 pm, Wed Jan 2, 2013.
Big Christmas Eve surprise — Lodi’s Harold Merrill gets Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars
By Ross Farrow/News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Lodinews.com
|
1st Sgt. Harold “Bud” Merrill thought he was going to have a quiet Christmas Eve with his wife, Dorothy, and his sister visiting from Visalia.
Little did he know that about 40 people would show up to celebrate his accomplishments during World War II.
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Posted in
News
on
Monday, December 31, 2012 5:48 pm.
Updated: 4:52 pm.
| Tags:
Harold "bud" Merrill,
Purple Heart,
83rd Infantry Division,
Bronze Star,
Dorothy Merrill
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Stephen Jones Jr posted at 9:17 pm on Wed, May 8, 2013.
I wonder if Mr Merrill remembers my old friend Staff Sgt Paul Zechman, Co. K 331st Infantry. He was a Heavy Weapons Platoon Sergeant. He lived in Sandusky Ohio and passed in 2007, buried at Oakwood Cemetary in Sandusky with military honors. He was awarded a purple heart for combat injuries in the Battle of the Bulge and was sent to a combat hospital in France, I believe Luxembourg. He gave me a photo of him standing behind a jeep in Luxembourg. He said it was taken after he got out of the hospital.
Paul didn't speak much of the war, but when he did I would listen intently. The few expriences he told me gave me a whole new respect for the veterans, what they went through then and what they live through in thier memories each and every day. To see tears well up in my friends eyes when he would relay his experiences and his regrets in relation to events that took place 60+ years prior really grabbed ahold of my soul.
Bud, my hat is off to you, thank you for your service.
S. Jones
Bob Johnson posted at 9:18 am on Wed, Jan 2, 2013.
Better late than never Bud. Congratulations and "thanks" for your service