By Stephen Kloosterman
The Muskegon Chronicle
IRONS, Mich. (AP) - A crowd of 500 gathered around a small town's park shelter last week to honor Duane Dewey, one of the few living Korean War Medal of Honor recipients in the United States.
U.S. Postal Service officials, motorcycle enthusiasts, politicians and Boy Scouts paid homage to Dewey and his wife of 63 years, Bertha. After a parade ending at Irons' Skinner Park, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled "Korean War Medal of Honor," a stamp folio set dedicated to Dewey and just 13 others who were living at the time the project started, according to The Muskegon Chronicle.
People crowded around the 82-year-old for photos after the ceremony.
"Take a look; this is what a real hero looks like," said Greg Van Woerkom, who represented U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga at the event. "We idolize movie stars and pop singers, but these are the people" we should be looking at, he added.
As a young leader of a machine-gun squad in 1952, Dewey once covered an enemy grenade with his body - an action that led to him receiving the nation's highest award for valor in combat.
Thirteen recipients were alive when approached by the Postal Service to include their photographs in the Medal of Honor: Korean War Forever stamp prestige folio. Four of the men died before the project was formally released.
More than 6.8 million Americans served in the armed forces during Korean War; 145 were singled out to receive the Medal of Honor. Of that number, more than two-thirds died as a result of their heroic actions and received the honor posthumously.
"He and his fellow Korean War Veterans sacrificed so that a people they did not know could remain free," said Paul Troost, who attended representing U.S. Sen. Carl Levin.
U.S. Postal Service Detroit district manager Chuck Howe spoke praising Dewey's "Resolute courage, outstanding initiative, and heroic effort on the behalf of others."
"We wish to thank Mr. Dewey, our local hero, for his heroic acts on behalf of our democracy," Howe said.
The U.S. Postal Service had previously held a dedication ceremony in Washington D.C. that Dewey wasn't able to attend.
Bertha Dewey gathered up mementos from the event - a flag once flown over the U.S. Capitol, framed letters and documents from congressmen.
"He has a bedroom that has nothing but citations and stuff on the walls," she said.
She said Dewey didn't feel like flying to Washington, D.C., and back in a short period of time, for the dedication ceremony there.
"This way more local people get to know about it," she said.
Published: Wed, Aug 06, 2014
