WWII vet from Delaware Co. finally gets Purple Heart

MEDIA, Pa. (WPVI) -- A World War II veteran from Springfield, Delaware County has finally received the recognition he has so long deserved.

90-year-old Richard Uhler has been waiting for this day for 71 years.

A Purple Heart was pinned to his chest at a ceremony at the Pennsylvania Veteran's Museum in Media. He also earned a Bronze Star, which he didn't even know he qualified for.

"I'm no hero, I'm a survivor. I'm not a hero," said Uhler.

Uhler was part of the 45th Infantry Division that landed in Anzio in 1944. He never spoke much about that day in Italy, even to his daughter Beth England, who knew he was wounded but didn't know the details until last night.

"He was only there for two hours. He was in a dried up creek bed. He said then it just went nuts. They were being bombed and the man next to him was killed. He was wounded. Everybody started yelling, 'medic, medic,'" she said.

Uhler woke up in the hospital, injured by shrapnel. He earned a series of medals, but could never find enough evidence for the Purple Heart.

"Like many of the other veterans who served in World War II, records were lost during a fire in 1970s. It's very difficult to get the verification," said Congressman Pat Meehan.

But a Red Cross letter was the key.

He had written it from the hospital and it just recently turned up.

It unearthed an ID number and with the assistance of Congressman Meehan's office, the number was traced back through hospital records.

This was the information they needed.

It was a long wait, a wait that took decades, but Richard Uhler finally has the appropriate recognition for his service and that was overwhelming.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you one and all," Uhler said. "Thank you."