Captain Mario D’Angelo, Italian Artillery Officer at Fort Bliss pinning the Italian Cross of Merit on Pvt. Serna. (PHOTO/McKinney)

James Erwln, former district commander, pinned on Serna’s uniform a French Medaille Milltalre, a second French Crolx de Guerre and an Italian Cross of Merit.

When General Erwln had trouble pinning on the first medal, he asked Serna to unbutton his blouse to make the Job easier. "I replied that when the first medal was given me in France, General Pershing had unbuttoned my blouse and then pinned on the medal at which point, General said, ’That is a good enough example for me,’ and he then unbuttoned my blouse and pinned on the medals."

In the 1920’s Serna was sent a Purple Heart medal for the wounds received at Meuse-Argonne and the Victory Medal with three campaign bars. The medals were presented to him at a special meeting of his V.F.W. Post -Marcos ArmlJo No. 2753 of E1 Paso, Texas.

The re-created ceremony came about because of efforts by Commander (Ret~d) M.G. McKinney, a local historian, and Colonel James Ward, Deputy Chief of Staff at FortBliss, who secured replacement U.S. Medals and then called attention of Serna’s exploits to General Shoemaker.

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Principals in the replacement of medals ceremony to Pvt. Serna 52 years after he was awarded the original medals. L. to R.: Colonel James Ward, Captain Mario D’Angelo, Pvt. Serna and Commander Millard McKinney (USN Ret’d).

(pHOTO/McKinne~)

Following the ceremony, there was a reception at the Fort Bliss Field Officers Mess, during which Mr. Serna was made an honorary member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Today, Mr. Serna resides in E1 Paso Texas, with his wife and family.

It would be interesting to know if any more re-inactment ceremonies have taken place for other earlier heroes to replace medals that became worn or lost with the passage of time.

REFERENCES: EL PASO TIMES, October 25, 1971 (Italy Honors E1 Paso Hero).

EL PASO HERALD POST, September 3, 1971 (Past and Present). EL PASO HERALD POST, November Ii, 1970 (Hero of World War I Rides in Parade). ARMY TIMES, September 22, 1971 (Bliss Honors Nero). EL PASO HERALD POST, September i, 1971 (El Paso WWI Hero is Redecorated at

Fort Bliss). EL FRONTERIZO, September 22, 1971 (52 Anos Despues Vuelve a Set Condecorada).

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OOPS ...... SORRY ABOHT THAT:

Hoyte C. Evans

Oh, Great Military Chief who art in Washington, surrounded by thy little chiefs, hallowed be thy minions, and blessed be their intentions in granting these awards; forgive them their errors, their clerical aberrations, and their procedural lapses, fQr thine is the power, and theirs is the inefficiency, as it ever was, and probably ever will be. At ease~

John Fitzgerald earned his Medal of Honor in Cuba June 14, 1898. When discharged from the Marines, the records showed he had been overpaid eighteen cents. On December 8, 1910, the orders were published for the award of the medal, which called for a payment of $i00 as well. He was given a check for $98.82, and his indebtedness marked off.

David E. Hayden earned his Medal o~ Honor as a Navy Corpsman September 15, 1918. Two years later, it was mailed to him. On May 18, 1962 while serving as a U.S. Marshal, he was presented with the Medal of Honor in an appropriate ceremony when the Navy learned he had never been decorated.

William C. Horton won his Medal of Honor as a Marine during the Boxer Rebellion. In 1968, at the age of 92, he was decorated with the Good Conduct Medal, overlooked all those years by a clerical error.

Maynard H. Smith earned his Medal of Honor on his first combat mission over Germany in WWII. While on disciplinary K.P. contemplating a pile of potatoes, he was notified that the Secretary of War would decorate him at a ceremony that same afternoon.

Simpson Mann was decorated with the Indian War Campaign Medal on May 13, 1965. At the age of 103, he was one of ii living veterans who had never received the medal and who fought in the Army on the Western Frontier.

Stephen W. Thompson waited 50 years for official confirmation of being the first American pilot in U.S. uniform to shoot down an enemy plane on February 5, 1918. The records of the victory were lost until 1968, and at the age of 73, he was awarded a certificate to confirm his clai~.

Gabriel Garcla won a Distinguished Service Cross in WWI, and his citation was signed by Gen. John J. Pershing. Wounded, he was hospitalized many months and eventually told that he was released. He went home, and was under the impression he had been discharged, but was carried on the rolls as a deserter. Forty years later he needed medical care again and at the age of 68, his record was cleared. A ceremony was held, and he was decorated with the D.S.C., Purple Heart and Victory Medal with three clasps.

These are but a few examples of frustrating events, all of which were rectified. But there are others of a bltter-sweet quality and too late. And there is one Italian episode which may be worth mentioning.

Antonio Usai received a check from his Government on December 14, 1959. He had made claim for indemnity for the !oss of a son during WWII. The check was worth about nine dollars, and Usai was more than astonished when he read it.

As a soldier, he fought at the battle of Adowa in 1896, and was one of few survivors taken prisoner by the Abyssinians, marched to Addis Ababa, and held as a P.O.W. for two years, on his return he had claimed indemnity suffic- ient to have purchased a small farm. As the years rolled by, and the claim was unpaid, he forgot it.