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July 4, 2009

Holly Pond WWII veteran receives Bronze Star

HOLLY POND –– PFC Dewel McGriff, U.S. Army, remembered the day well. He was a 19-year-old soldier on his way to Japan to defend his country.

McGriff was a machine gunner in the Philippine Islands from August 1945 to November 1946. He spent a total of 19 months in the South Pacific.

“I had some close calls, but I was fortunate,” McGriff said. “Anyone that went over there and went through what we went through was fortunate to get out.”

McGriff recalled meeting a fellow Alabamaian. He said he knew they would be friends.

“The first thing you did was tell people where you were from,” McGriff said. “One boy said he was from Alabama, and he said we’re going to get along just fine since we were both from Alabama. Just then, they started throwing mortars and we dove into a foxhole and he got killed.”

Recently, McGriff joined other World War II veterans at a ceremony to receive a Bronze Star. The program was held on the 65th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.

The Bronze Star is awarded to any person who served, who distinguished themselves by heroic or meritorious achievements or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operation against an armed enemy while serving in the U.S. Army, or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

McGriff’s wife, Faye, along with 21 members of their family, were at his side when he received the award.

“We had such a crowd,” McGriff said.

McGriff is thankful for the honor he received, even though it came 64 years late.

“Everyone that got a combat infantry badge was to get a Bronze Star and I got mine 64 years late,” McGriff said.

“It was nice to receive it. It was an honor to live this long to celebrate because a lot (soldiers) didn’t make it back.”

McGriff is proud to have served his country.

“I feel WWII is the only war we really won,” McGriff said. “That is the only one in my lifetime we really won and defeated two countries.”

McGriff said he came close to dying many times. He remembered one close call when a Japanese soldier threw a hand grenade in his foxhole.

“If it had exploded, it probably would have taken my legs,” McGriff said.

On July 29, McGriff will travel on an honor flight to see the Veteran’s Memorial in Washington, D.C.

“I’ll probably see a lot of the names I knew from the war,” he said.

‰ Tiffany Green can be reached by e-mail at tgreen@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 221.

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