Rand Paul presents local veteran’s family with awards earned during service

June 29, 2022 | 12:09 am

Updated June 28, 2022 | 9:35 pm

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Quentin Gregory fought in World War II in Korea as part of the 66th Infantry Division. He was in one of the first waves that stormed Omaha Beach, and survived by hiding behind a box of nails. On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul presented Gregory’s family with the military awards he received during his time of service.

“Senator Rand Paul was very impressed because many times people who serve in the military don’t have any actual combat against the enemy, but some of my grandfather’s awards were for his combat skills,” said Sarah Whiteside, Gregory’s granddaughter. “We already knew about the awards he had earned, but it was a big deal for my family because nothing like this was ever done while my grandfather was alive.”

One of the awards missing from Gregory’s military record is the silver star, which is the third-highest military combat decoration and is awarded for courageous behavior while in action against an enemy of the United States. 

Gregory’s record of receiving this award was lost in a fire, but Whiteside’s family recently found the actual medal, which they thought had been buried with him. The military won’t acknowledge the star due to lack of documentation, but Paul’s office is advocating for them. 

“Senator Paul’s office took documentation of the star, the award document, and a map my grandfather had drawn of the battle for which he had won the star. He said they would do more digging to see if we can have his military records updated,” Whiteside said. “It meant a lot that his staff took the time to dig further into the records. I know they have a million other things they could be doing, but they really seem to care, specifically about veterans and families of veterans.”

Whiteside’s father, Robert Gregory, was very pleased with their visit to the Senator’s office as well, saying that he felt “proud and honored” of his father. 

“The senator took the time to speak to everyone and did not seem to be in a hurry, which was highly appreciated as it was a special time for us,” Robert Gregory said. 

June 29, 2022 | 12:09 am

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