WWII vets to get medals at Veterans Day ceremonies

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri National Guard will hold recognition ceremonies for World War II veterans in most Missouri counties on Veterans Day.

The ceremonies will honor eligible veterans who have applied for special medallions, medals and certificates being awarded by the state under Operation Recognition, created by a state law passed in 2000.

Ceremonies are authorized for all 114 Missouri counties, but as a practical matter ceremonies for counties that have few recipients will be consolidated.

State Sen. Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, is helping coordinate the events. Mathewson said no minimum number of recipients per county has yet been set to decide whether a ceremony in that county is warranted.

Though Sept. 7, 2,180 applications for medals had been approved. Approximately 127,000 Missouri veterans are eligible.

Oct. 1 cutoff

How many ceremonies will be held and where depends on the number of veterans who apply by Oct. 1, the cutoff date for participating. Mathewson said it is hoped as many as 10,000 veterans will apply by that time.

A ceremony on Nov. 11 will likely be held in Cape Gir-ardeau County, where 84 veterans had already been approved for the honors, according to the National Guard. Scott County, with 29 approved veterans, could also play host to a ceremony. Other area counties had far fewer veterans approved as of Sept. 7. Barring spikes in applications prior to the deadline, those veterans will likely be invited to ceremonies in other counties.

Other ceremonies are planned on Nov. 10 for recipients residing in Missouri's veterans homes, including that in Cape Girardeau.

Ken Lipps, a spokesman for the Cape Girardeau Veterans Home, was pleased to hear a special ceremony will be held for the home's residents.

"What a fantastic idea for them to think of coming to the World War II vets," Lipps said. "It would be a hardship for many, many of them to go to the armory."

To be eligible, veterans must have served in the armed forces between Dec. 7, 1941, and Sept. 30, 1945, and been honorably discharged.

mpowers@semissourian.com

(573) 635-4608