Honored vets and county officials

HYDE PARK – At the focal point of the fourth annual Dutchess County Veteran’s Appreciation Day held Saturday in the Henry A. Wallace Center, five local veterans finally received the medals they had earned decades ago during their service in the armed forces.

According Director of the Dutchess County Veteran’s Service Agency Nelson Rivera a total of about 40 different medals were awarded between the five recipients and, “a lot of them are getting medals that they never even knew they were entitled to.”

Rivera said that many of them, especially after WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, were discharged before they knew what all of their medals and awards were. “It’s something that they never thought would ever happen and it’s happening here today.”

“You can never stop enough times and thank the veterans, those who have served in the military, for the liberties and freedoms given to us,” said County Executive William Steinhaus as he presented the medals.

The five veterans honored during the ceremony are WWII veteran Herbert Levitz of Poughkeepsie, WWII veteran Dominick Delia of Poughquag, WWII and Korea veteran James Tobin of Poughquag, Vietnam veteran Michael Burke of Poughkeepsie, and Vietnam veteran Daniel Messina of Hopewell Junction.

“It’s long overdue,” said Burke, who received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his courage during combat in Cambodia, “When I came back from Vietnam it really didn’t mean much to me but as time went on and after over 40 years I am very happy to receive my medals.”

It was a “total surprise” to Messina, who said he didn’t know a thing about them before the ceremony. “I really appreciate the medals,” Messina noted that, “there’s a lot of men that didn’t come back that do deserve medals.”

“It felt great,” to Delia. Even after 60 years since actively serving in the armed forces Delia joined his fellow servicemen who all agreed that they harbored no hard feelings toward the delay in their recognition.