CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

World War II veteran finally gets the medals he earned

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal - 4/1/2017

April 01--Lockport resident Charles Pedersen is a decorated World War II veteran, but he didn't receive his medals until this week, more than 70 years after the war ended.

Pedersen, 91, finally got the service medals he earned while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II on Thursday.

Pedersen's friends and family packed Congressman Chris Collins' office in Williamsville as Pedersen was presented with the medals.

"I feel pretty elated," Pedersen said of being honored. He served from October, 1943 to March, 1947 as a machinist's mate 3 in the Navy.

On Thursday, he received the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, a World War II Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal, an Honorable Discharge button and the Honorable Service lapel pin.

Pedersen, along with many other veterans after World War II, didn't receive his medals after the war.

"We weren't looking for medals when we came home," Pedersen said. "We just went home and started our lives."

Pedersen, originally of Buffalo, moved to Olcott and later to Lockport after the war.

"I started in Olcott and worked my way back down," he joked. "I wanted to get into the country."

Following the war, Pedersen worked at Bell Aircraft in Buffalo.

In 2008, Pedersen participated in Honor Flight, a program that flies veterans to visit the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C.

Last year, he attended the Rolling Thunder Run event in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Leona, daughter Michelle Paskal and her fiancé, who attend each year. Rolling Thunder is a non-profit group whose mission is to educate the public about American Prisoners of War who were left behind.

"On the way home, he said, 'Maybe we need to get my medals,' " Paskal said. "He'd never asked for anything before. He's very humble."

Paskal made the calls to get the medals.

Pedersen said he was happy to be surrounded by family and friends as he received his medals.

"It's been a privilege to have them all here," he said.

___

(c)2017 the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal (Lockport, N.Y.)

Visit the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal (Lockport, N.Y.) at lockportjournal.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.