Veteran’s medallions

By Pleasanton Express Staff | on August 02, 2023

Last year sometime, my wife and I visited her grandparents’ graves in Devine. At the gravesite are her grandmother, grandfather, maternal aunt and uncle. We noticed that their graves were void of any markings to identify her grandfather and uncle as military veterans. We got to work at remedying the issue. A few clicks, phone calls and lots of paperwork later, we received a military medallion for her grandfather’s gravestone. The medallion is a bronze, circular object about 4 inches by 3 inches in size. It contains 12 stars and the serviceman’s branch of service. Her grandfather served at a time when the Army Air Corps was transitioning to the Air Force. So, his medallion says “USAAC” and “USAAF.” Fast forward almost a year later, and we met a stone wall in getting a medallion for her uncle, Herschel “Dick” Williams. Again, after a few clicks, some phone calls and a lot of patience, we received the medallion for her uncle’s grave. His medallion reads “U.S. Marine Corps.” Williams was born in Hays County, Texas in 1924, and he enlisted into the USMC in December of 1941. I am almost certain that he was one of the many young men that were motivated by the Pearl Harbor attack and his sense of duty to serve could not be restrained. Williams was 17 when he joined the Corps. He saw battle during his time in the Marines and, at some point, received a bayonet wound that would affect him the rest of his life.

He passed away in 1995, and I unfortunately never had the opportunity to meet him. I can imagine the stories he could tell and the knowledge he could impart, just in military experience alone. In family photos, his USMC bulldog tattoo is always visible on his forearm. Men like that just had a disparate view of the world. Maybe the times were different or maybe we as men, have changed.

Nonetheless, we made the drive to Devine on a hot Thursday evening. When we arrived at the Evergreen Cemetery, we cleaned the graves a little and affixed the medallion to Uncle Dick’s tombstone. It was beautiful and honorable all at the same time. We will always be grateful to everyone that assisted us to get these two men the recognition they deserve.

Anyone that has served deserves recognition. If you need any information on how to get one of these medallions for a loved one, there are certain criteria you have to meet, but I will point you in the right direction. I sincerely thank you for reading and helping us preserve our history, until next time.

MARTIN GONZALES is the Atascosa County Historical Commission Chairman. If you have history of Atascosa County you’d like to share, you may contact him at 830-480-2741.

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