News

June 29, 2009

Freedom Salute honors newest war heroes

Community businesses that supported the troops and their families also honored.

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – Staff Sgt. Cory Dumont’s squad was under fire from about 25 enemy combatants on both sides of the road near the Afghanistan city of Shewan as the convoy of Pennsylvania Army National Guard soldiers pushed through, returning fire on the enemy.

But the battle damage left the sixth vehicle in the convoy disabled with front-end damage and two flat tires.

Instinctively, Sgt. Eugene Dietrich dismounted his vehicle and quickly attached a tow strap to the recovery vehicle to get out of the ambush site.

About four miles down the road, the tow vehicle began to overheat, so Sgt. Jamie Sult dismounted and changed both tires in record-breaking time, just as the convoy began to take on small arms fire for a second time.

The squad continued to Kanesk and safely completed its mission.

That was one of the war stories that Brigadier Gen. James Joseph, deputy commanding general of the 28th Infantry Division, shared with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard soldiers and their families, recalling some of the soldiers’ recent missions overseas during a Freedom Salute Ceremony at the 109th Field Artillery Armory on Sunday.

Joseph and other officers and dignitaries saluted 161 of the Guard’s “newest veterans,” who Joseph said “left their home, family and employment behind to deploy to Afghanistan, Iraq and Egypt in order to support the global war on terrorism and the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace.”

“We are gathered here today in recognition of your service and sacrifice. … We thank you all for a job well done,” Joseph said.

Several soldiers received awards for outstanding service.

Lt. Col. George Chizmar, Capt. John Bilski, Master Sgt. Joseph Lukashewski, Staff Sgts. Cory Dumont, Charles Gundrum and Alan Latwinski, Sgts. Nicholas Dulina and Jamie Sult and Specialist Colin Liput were awarded the Bronze Star Medal for distinguished heroic or meritorious achievement or service.

Maj. William Start, Warrant Officer James Bell and Sgts. 1st Class Mark Gordon and Shawn Stanford were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for either individual acts of heroism, extraordinary achievement or meritorious achievement.

Seventy-four of the soldiers were honored for completing their second deployment, and three for having completed their third, Joseph noted. All of the multi-deployment soldiers were given commemorative clocks, in addition to the awards and gifts all of the soldiers received.

Gifts that each soldier received included:

• An American flag enclosed in a wood–and-glass display case.

• An “American Soldier - Defender of Freedom” certificate.

• A pin for each spouse in recognition of support and sacrifice.

• A Center of Influence medal for an individual who supported them through deployment.

• A limited edition National Guard coin.

Soldiers with children also received a “Future Soldiers Kit” with games and other items for each child.

As soon as Capt. Cliff Morales, the master of ceremonies, explained the purpose of the Center of Influence medal, Sgt. Lawrence Huffman took the medal from its black case and hung the red, white and blue ribbon that supported it around the neck of his wife, Shirley, before putting his arm around her and pulling her close to him.

“It was difficult at first, getting adjusted to him being gone,” Shirley said after the ceremony. “But I had three teenagers around the house to help.”

The Huffmans’ 18-year-old son, Larry, said the ceremony made him feel good and proud of his dad. The couple also have two daughters – Mae, 15; and Shirley, 19.

Sgt. Huffman, who returned from Afghanistan in November after serving in the ranks of the 3rd Battalion 103rd Armor Regiment, said the ceremony made him feel “like we’re appreciated, like we’re recognized somewhere.”

Honored soldiers also served in the ranks of the 1-104th Cavalry Regiment and the 55 Heavy Brigade Combat Team Ground Liaison Detachment.

In addition to honoring the soldiers and their families, Freedom Salutes also honor community businesses and organizations that supported the troops and/or their families in various ways.

Outstanding Centers of Influence presentations went to Scent-Sations, McCabe Mortgage Group, Kingston VFW, Mohegan Sun and Northeast Eagle Distributors. Distinguished Centers of Influence presentations went to Pepsi Co. and The Times Leader. Family Action Community Recognitions went to DC International and the Lt. Michael J. Cleary Foundation.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Stella said The Times Leader and Mohegan Sun were presented with awards because they collaborated to send newspapers to area soldiers serving overseas.

Jim McCabe, The Times Leader customer service manager who accepted the award for the newspaper, said he came up with the idea because of his daughter, Erin McCabe, who is now serving with the Pennsylvania National Guard in Iraq.

“I thought it would give them a little taste of home if they could read their hometown newspaper while overseas,” McCabe said.

Brig. Gen. Joseph; Col. Wilbur E. Wolf III, commander of the 55th Heavy Brigade Combat Team; and Lt. Col. Kevin M. Miller, commander of the 1st battalion 109th Field Artillery, were also honored for their service and support of the troops.

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