http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/foot...is-780356.html
Seymour Lavine finally received his Bronze Star Dec.16, 2010, at Fort McPherson. Pinning the medal on Lavine is Ge. James Thurman (left) and Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Ronald Riling.
On Thursday afternoon at a special ceremony at Ft. McPherson, Lavine received his Bronze Star medal 66 years after he earned it for service in World War II. Dubbing the delay an “administrative glitch,” General James Thurman presented Lavine his medal as soldiers at the post watched in admiration.
Shortly before the presentation, Lavine waited with his family in a conference room and reflected on the long journey to receive the medal. Nearly five months ago, Lavine, who lives in Atlanta, contacted Sen. Johnny Isakson’s office and asked for help in his effort to get the medal.
Lavine was noticeably excited as the day finally arrived.
“I’m going to feel very proud when I receive it,” he said.
Lavine decided to join the Army when he heard about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, which also happened to be his 29th birthday.
He joined with his brother Sandy and said their “blood was just boiling.” Lavine started his Army career by going to officer candidate school, but he was denied admission because of his eyesight. Instead of going home and waiting until his draft number was called, Lavine joined the infantry.
Lavine was sent to the Pacific region and participated in battles from Guadalcanal to the Solomon Islands, and in 1944 was stationed in the Philippines. He helped liberate the islands in 1944 and 1945.
Lavine’s brother did not make it home from the war. Sandy Lavine died in Holland in 1944 fighting the Germans and was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star in 1996 at Ft. McPherson.
Seymour Lavine received his award “for meritorious achievement while serving with Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division in the Pacific Theater of Operations,” reads the order announcing his medal.
After receiving his medal Thursday, Lavine entertained the soldiers on hand with stories from another era. He told them he was once stationed in New Guinea and encountered a tribe of cannibals.
“They gave us some really interesting food. They never told us what it was, but it was good,” he said.
Lavine left the Army in 1946 as a staff sergeant and helped run his family’s clothing manufacturing business. But he noticed that fashion for women in the South left something to be desired, so he got together with some designers and set up showrooms throughout the region to sell more fashionable clothes to the region.
“I brought fashion to the South,” he said.
Later, Lavine became director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Emory University and worked there for more than 17 years until he retired two years ago at the age of 96.
“I just thought it was a good age to retire,” he said.
Seymour Lavine finally received his Bronze Star Dec.16, 2010, at Fort McPherson. Pinning the medal on Lavine is Ge. James Thurman (left) and Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Ronald Riling.
On Thursday afternoon at a special ceremony at Ft. McPherson, Lavine received his Bronze Star medal 66 years after he earned it for service in World War II. Dubbing the delay an “administrative glitch,” General James Thurman presented Lavine his medal as soldiers at the post watched in admiration.
Shortly before the presentation, Lavine waited with his family in a conference room and reflected on the long journey to receive the medal. Nearly five months ago, Lavine, who lives in Atlanta, contacted Sen. Johnny Isakson’s office and asked for help in his effort to get the medal.
Lavine was noticeably excited as the day finally arrived.
“I’m going to feel very proud when I receive it,” he said.
Lavine decided to join the Army when he heard about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, which also happened to be his 29th birthday.
He joined with his brother Sandy and said their “blood was just boiling.” Lavine started his Army career by going to officer candidate school, but he was denied admission because of his eyesight. Instead of going home and waiting until his draft number was called, Lavine joined the infantry.
Lavine was sent to the Pacific region and participated in battles from Guadalcanal to the Solomon Islands, and in 1944 was stationed in the Philippines. He helped liberate the islands in 1944 and 1945.
Lavine’s brother did not make it home from the war. Sandy Lavine died in Holland in 1944 fighting the Germans and was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star in 1996 at Ft. McPherson.
Seymour Lavine received his award “for meritorious achievement while serving with Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division in the Pacific Theater of Operations,” reads the order announcing his medal.
After receiving his medal Thursday, Lavine entertained the soldiers on hand with stories from another era. He told them he was once stationed in New Guinea and encountered a tribe of cannibals.
“They gave us some really interesting food. They never told us what it was, but it was good,” he said.
Lavine left the Army in 1946 as a staff sergeant and helped run his family’s clothing manufacturing business. But he noticed that fashion for women in the South left something to be desired, so he got together with some designers and set up showrooms throughout the region to sell more fashionable clothes to the region.
“I brought fashion to the South,” he said.
Later, Lavine became director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Emory University and worked there for more than 17 years until he retired two years ago at the age of 96.
“I just thought it was a good age to retire,” he said.
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