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Video by Airman 1st Class Rose Rella

Remembrance, honor order of the day at Freedoms Foundation

111th Attack Wing

Sept. 24, 2016 | 2:16

MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE – 24 SEPTEMBER 2016

BRIG. GEN TONY CARRELLI:

[0:02] NEARLY THIRTY-FIVE HUNDRED SERVICEMEMBERS IN OUR HISTORY HAVE SERVED WITH SUCH EXTREME BRAVERY AND TREMENDOUS VALOR, THAT THEY, LIKE COLONEL MARM, WERE AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. THE MEDAL THAT THIS GROVE WAS NAMED FOR TO HONOR THESE GREAT AMERICANS.

RETIRED ARMY COL. WALTER MARM JR.:

[0:19] I WAS SHAKING IN MY SHOES. I WAS 23 YEARS OLD, ON A COLD DECEMBER DAY ON THE 19TH OF DECEMBER…1966. THIRTEEN MONTHS AFTER THE BATTLE. IT WAS…THREE DAYS OF VERY, VERY INTENSE FIGHTING. AND THERE ARE ONLY SEVENTY-SEVEN LIVING RECIPIENTS NOW, THE THIRTY-FIVE HUNDRED. SO IT’S VERY SPECIAL TO BE ONE OF THE LIVING RECIPIENTS.
IT WAS QUITE AN HONOR TO BE…TO BE AWARDED…THE MEDAL OF HONOR. AND I WAS JUST…I WAS IN AWE BY ALL THE HIGH-RANKING DIGNITARIES, BOTH CIVILIAN…SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN AND MILITARY PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE FOR THE CEREMONY.

BRIG. GEN TONY CARRELLI:

[1:07] IT’S GREAT TO HAVE ALL HIS TIES THAT HE HAS TO PENNSYLVANIA. OF COURSE HE WAS BORN HERE, BUT HE ALSO SERVED AT WILLOW GROVE, WHICH IS WHERE I STARTED IN THE GUARD IN PENNSYLVANIA UP AT…OUT AT THE 111TH.

RETIRED ARMY COL. WALTER MARM JR.:

[1:17]…SPENT THIRTY YEARS IN THE ARMY. MY LAST SEVEN YEARS WERE BACK HERE IN PHILADELPHIA. I WORKED AT WILLOW GROVE NAVAL AIR STATION, WORKING WITH THE…AS A SENIOR ADVISOR WITH THE ARMY RESERVE. SO I WAS ABLE TO COME DOWN HERE VERY…VERY OFTEN…TO FREEDOMS FOUNDATION IN OUR MEDAL OF HONOR GROVE.

BRIG. GEN TONY CARRELLI:

[1:37]: IT TAKES SO MUCH TO EARN A MEDAL OF HONOR…BUT I THINK…OF WHAT HE’S DONE SINCE THEN TO REPRESENT VETERANS AND PATRIOTIC CITIZENS OF AMERICA, AND I THINK IS EVEN BETTER THAN THE SERVICE HE DID ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

RETIRED ARMY COL. WALTER MARM JR.:

[1:49] SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE VERY AWARE OF, THAT MANY OF OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN…HAVE SOME PROBLEMS AFTER THEY GET HOME. WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR VETERANS.
I…SAY I WEAR THE MEDAL FOR ALL THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO I SERVED WITH. AND THIS IS AS MUCH YOUR MEDAL AS IT IS MINE. I LOVE AMERICA, GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA. THANK YOU.