Woman given medals for dad she never knew

Woman given medals for dad she never knew
The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jan 18, 2008 9:26:22 EST

SEATTLE — Nearly 65 years after Pvt. Howard Carl Miles died in World War II, the daughter he never knew has won a 10-year battle with the Army for the posthumous award of the medals he earned.

The Purple Heart, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, World War II Victory Medal, Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal, Army Campaign Medal and Good Conduct Medal for Miles were presented Wednesday to Rosalie Miles Francisco in the office of Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

“These he never held, but he earned them,'' a teary-eyed Francisco said.

Miles died July 10, 1943, in the landing of Operation Husky on Sicily before he got a letter from his wife in Idaho to tell him of Rosalie's birth three months earlier.

She attended college on a war orphan scholarship, got married and raised two sons, Christopher and Matthew. For 30 years, she taught grade-school classes in Seattle before retiring two years ago. Her husband taught middle-school.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/ap_daughtermedals_080118/