CHARLESTON -
Senator Jay Rockefeller was in Charleston
Tuesday, to honor the service of one World War II veteran.
Farris Burton, 86, of Point Pleasant,
enlisted in the Navy on his 17th birthday, April 26, 1942. He spent that night with other
new recruits in Charleston's Daniel
Boone Hotel before shipping off for training in Norfolk,
Virginia.
Later that year, while aboard the USS Firethorn, Burton
was one of only 49 sailors who survived after the ship was sunk by a German submarine.
He and his compatriots spent two days in a raft adrift at sea before being
rescued.
Burton was then
assigned to the USS Zaandam, which was returning to the U.S.
After 26 days, the Zaandam was also
downed by a German submarine and Burton
again found himself adrift in a life raft. After 8 days at sea, he and his
fellow survivors managed to beach themselves on an island off the coast of Brazil.
They were found and fed by natives, until being returned to a naval base in Florida.
After hearing of Burton's
story, Senator Jay Rockefeller contacted the Navy on his behalf, and secured
several medals which were formally presented to Burton
in a ceremony Tuesday.
"These medals are a small, but meaningful, symbols of your
service,' said Rockefeller. "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."
"I'm so proud of you…you are a great American."
More than 50 family members, including his wife Mildred and
38 great grandchildren were in attendance Tuesday. Among other recognitions,
Rockefeller presented Burton with the Navy and Marine Corps Medal – the highest
award given by the Navy, for heroism during a non-combat incident, the World
War II Victory Medal and the Honorable Service Lapel Pin, also known as the "Ruptured
Duck."
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