Combat Veteran finally awarded for service

  • Published
  • By Ashley M. Wright
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  A resident of the Air Force Enlisted Village near Eglin AFB received several overdue medals including a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his sacrifices decades after he retired.

"It's an honor, I greatly appreciate it and it has been a long time a coming--70 years," said Charles "Buster" Donnell, 89, at the Oct. 20 ceremony.

Congressman Jeff Miller presented Mr. Donnell with several awards spanning his service from 1937-1962. The Purple Heart is awarded to military members who are wounded in combat.

The retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant was part of Merrill's Marauders, who fought behind enemy lines in Burma during World War II,

"When Buster was wounded, he was tagged to actually be sent away from the front for medical treatment," Congressman Miller said. "Buster tore that tag off and went back to the front.

"We wanted to publicly say thank you," Congressman Miller said. "It is honor to make these presentations on behalf of the United States government."

Several friends and family members of Mr. Donnell attended the ceremony at the village. Other recognitions bestowed on him include Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, American Defense Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

"It is not like today where people volunteer to stay in...It took just about everyone in America that could serve to go and fight World War II," said Maj. Gen. Charles R. Davis, Air Armament Center commander who attended the ceremony. "Most of them [World War II veterans], when they finished up their service, went back to their life...You don't want to forget about them."

General Davis befriended Mr. Donnell at another community event recently.

Theresa Baker, Mr. Donnell's home base primary care nurse case manager, submitted the package for the Purple Heart. She said all the military medals the Maine native received in the past were mailed to him.

"This is just unbelievable," said Patty Hesse, Mr. Donnell's daughter. "Finally, he's got closure. There is closure."

Congressman Miller also extended a personal invite for Mr. Donnell to attend an honor flight that will take local veterans to visit the World War II memorial in Washington D.C.