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Honor A Veteran Douglas W. Kearney Private First Class Headquarters, 17th Armored Infantry Battalion, 12th Armored Division Hometown: Milford, Connecticut While watching the Tom Hanks movie Saving Private Ryan, Douglas W. Kearney told his daughter “I was there.” The daughter, Dr. Sheila Kearney, admits that she discounted the remark at first, since the military was segregated at that time, and few black soldiers were allowed to serve in combat units. But after checking the facts of her father’s story, she realized that he was not only a combat veteran who had served in campaigns across northern France and central Europe, including the D-Day invasion. PFC Kearney was drafted into the military and was
initially assigned to a black unit, but was later transferred to an
integrated company with the 17th Armored Infantry Battalion, 12th Armored
Division. Research revealed that not only was PFC. Kearney a machine
gunner and marksman, but he was owed a Bronze Star Medal for meritorious
achievement in combat. That honor came more than 60 years late by retired
Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré in a ceremony at the
PFC Kearney wasn't the only member of his family in
uniform. His older sister, Captain Mary F. Kearney, was Doctor Kearney said she hopes that more veterans who served with her father during World War II will receive recognition for their service as well.
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