CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Farris H. Burton waited several days to be rescued after two ships he was on were torpedoed during World War II. He waited a lot longer for his medals from that war.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., presented Burton with five military medals honoring his service in the Navy during a ceremony on Tuesday.
The medals included the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, which is the highest award for heroism for involvement in a noncombat incident.
After pinning the awards on Burton's chest, Rockefeller said, "We all salute you. I regret that you had to wait so long for this. You're a hero. ... I am going to remember this day for a long time."
Rockefeller told Burton he was particularly impressed by the days he spent "on a raft on the ocean with sharks swimming around you."
Burton, a Point Pleasant resident who grew up in Logan County, survived two ships sunk by German torpedoes. He spent 10 days on lifeboats in the Indian and Atlantic oceans before being rescued.
"I thank the Lord I'm still around today," Burton told Rockefeller and family members attending the ceremony.
Burton's wife, Mildred, and more than 50 family members, including many great-grandchildren, joined him at the ceremony.
"My father passed away while I was missing in action, Burton said at the ceremony. "But being surrounded today by my wonderful family -- which extends to 38 great-grandchildren -- is more than I could have ever asked for."
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Farris H. Burton waited several days to be rescued after two ships he was on were torpedoed during World War II. He waited a lot longer for his medals from that war.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., presented Burton with five military medals honoring his service in the Navy during a ceremony on Tuesday.
The medals included the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, which is the highest award for heroism for involvement in a noncombat incident.
After pinning the awards on Burton's chest, Rockefeller said, "We all salute you. I regret that you had to wait so long for this. You're a hero. ... I am going to remember this day for a long time."
Rockefeller told Burton he was particularly impressed by the days he spent "on a raft on the ocean with sharks swimming around you."
Burton, a Point Pleasant resident who grew up in Logan County, survived two ships sunk by German torpedoes. He spent 10 days on lifeboats in the Indian and Atlantic oceans before being rescued.
"I thank the Lord I'm still around today," Burton told Rockefeller and family members attending the ceremony.
Burton's wife, Mildred, and more than 50 family members, including many great-grandchildren, joined him at the ceremony.
"My father passed away while I was missing in action, Burton said at the ceremony. "But being surrounded today by my wonderful family -- which extends to 38 great-grandchildren -- is more than I could have ever asked for."
Tuesday's ceremony took place at 405 Capitol St. -- the former Daniel Boone Hotel, where Burton and other recruits spent their last night as civilians in 1942, before leaving the next day for Navy training in Norfolk, Va.
"These medals are small but meaningful symbols of your heroic service," Rockefeller said. "I am honored to present them to you today, at the place you spent your last night before beginning Navy training nearly 70 years ago."
Burton enlisted in the Navy on April 26, 1942 -- his 17th birthday.
On Oct. 7, 1942, he was aboard the S.S. Firethorn, a merchant ship sunk by a German submarine about 60 miles off the South African coast. The 49 sailors who survived spent two days on a raft before being rescued by a British naval patrol.
Along with survivors from other sunken American ships, Burton boarded the S.S. Zaandam, another transport ship, to return to the United States. After 26 days on the Atlantic Ocean, the Zaandam was sunk by two torpedoes from another German submarine.
Burton and his fellow survivors spent eight days on a lifeboat, floating 400 miles before they reached an island off the coast of Brazil, where natives found and fed them.
After being sent back to a naval base in Florida, Burton spent the rest of the war on other Navy ships before being discharged on April 26, 1946.
Besides the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Rockefeller presented Burton with four other medals: the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. Burton also received a Combat Action Ribbon, Discharge Button and Honorable Service Lapel Pin.
Last year, Rockefeller contacted the Navy on Burton's behalf to secure the medals that were presented to him Tuesday.
Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5164.
