PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - Staff and faculty from the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center and the Presidio of Monterey community gathered in honor of Veterans Day and to witness a Silver Star Award presentation and wreath-laying ceremony conducted near the Berlin Wall Memorial here Nov. 10.
Sgt. Sam Redfield was formally presented his Silver Star by retired Brig. Gen. Gerald Griffin, more than 65 years after Redfield's heroic actions near Sarreguemines, France. On Feb. 18, 1945, Redfield's crawled 300 yards to within 20 yards of an enemy machine gun and tossed in a hand grenade which destroyed the enemy position and the crew, saving lives and enabling the 253rd Infantry Regiment to continue the attack.
Redfield expressed his appreciation toward those who attended the presentation, including many of his family members, while saying that the event made for "a very nice day."
Additionally, DLIFLC Commandant Col. Danial Pick laid a ceremonial wreath before the crowd observed a moment of silence in honor of America's veterans and those who currently serving our armed forces.
"Veterans Day is a day when nations around the world pause in a moment of silence with solemn pride in the remembrance of the heroism of those who have served, those who are currently serving, and those who died in our country's service," Pick said. "We don't mark this day each year as a celebration of victory, as proud of that victory as we are. We mark this day as a celebration of those who made victory possible. It's a day we keep in our minds the brave men and women of this young nation - generations of them - who above all else believed in and fought for a set of ideals."
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