Navy vet receives medals nearly 70 years later

Author: dave culbreth
Published: Updated:

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla.- A Navy veteran who served our country is finally getting the honors he deserves. WINK News was there as Robert Kenyon received the medals he earned nearly 70 years ago.

“I didn’t realize that I had eight medals coming to me.”

In two weeks, Kenyon will turn 90 but that’s not what he’s been looking forward to the most.

What he’s been waiting is getting the World War II medals from his service in the Navy.

When U.S. Congressman Tom Rooney heard that Kenyon had never gotten the medals he deserved, he went to work.

Then one day, the phone call came from Rooney’s office.

“I could’ve fell over! I was so surprised,” said Kenyon.

He was on the USS Borie in Tokyo Bay back in August of 1945 when a kamikaze hit his ship. 48 of his shipmates were killed, 66 injured.

“I was very lucky. I was in the forward emergency generator room, that’s below deck.”

“I never knew that he got hit until he came home and told me about the ship, and when he showed me the pictures I couldn’t believe it. I said ‘Oh, I’m glad you’re here, you know,'” said Robert’s wife Lucy Kenyon.

After leaving the Navy, he worked for a gas company in Providence, Rhode Island for 43 years before moving to Port Charlotte.

“We’ve been married 67 years and it was worth it. And I’m so proud of him that he fought for our country.”

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