Veterans honored belatedly for service

Several local veterans have been in the news recently, being honored decades after their service.

Sgt. Clifford Heinrich, 90, of Cape Girardeau, received five medals March 21, 72 years after his B-17 Flying Fortress crashed in England during World War II. In addition to the Purple Heart he earned for head and foot injuries sustained in the crash, Heinrich received an American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Bronze Star, World War II Victory Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and a World War II Lapel Button.

"These medals were all for my crew," Heinrich said after the presentation; he was the only survivor of the crash.

Due to a clerical error, Vietnam veteran Ivory L. Wright of Sikeston, Missouri, never received the medals he was awarded for his service. At a Wednesday ceremony, that error was corrected.

Wright was presented with his Bronze Star Medal with V device, Presidential Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross.

And to honor a group of veterans, a new U.S. Navy Seabees memorial was unveiled recently in Mounds, Illinois. The Seabees were formed during World War II, and have conducted operations in current campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan; they are laregly responsible for construction projects.

We commend these belatedly honored veterans. It is a shame they were not given their awards sooner, but it's good that the oversights have finally been made right. All those who fought for our country deserve our respect and gratitude.