A 97-year-old World War II veteran was awarded medals for his service on Tuesday, more than 70 years after he defended U.S. troops under fire from German soldiers.
(FOX)- Stewart Marshall, of South Carolina, was honored at a special ceremony in Lancaster County, where he received nine awards, including a Bronze Star and U.S. Army medal of commendation, for his wartime service, according to local media reports.
A humbled Marshall sought to downplay the significance of the recognition in a room surrounded by other veterans, WNCN reported.
“I appreciate it very much, but I’m a little uneasy,” Marshall said.
“There’s no such thing as deserving anything out of this, because it’s a job that was needed,” he said, according to the station.
U.S. Rep Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., who helped Marshall receive the long-overdue honors, joked about Marshall’s humility before a packed crowd.
“I was talking to Mr. Marshall on the way in and he said, ‘I hope there really isn’t too big of a to-do today’, and I said, ‘Well, bad news,’” Mulvaney said, WSOC-TV reported.
Marshall was part of six different campaigns as a staff sergeant in the Army’s 135th Division, according to the station. In one instance, he took over a platoon under heavy fire and helped fight off three direct German attacks.