Korean War veteran receives surprise military awards shadow box

A Korean War veteran received an emotional surprise Wednesday afternoon. Ralph Alexander, 83, was given a shadow box displaying every medal he received during his service in the United States Air Force.

In wanting to have his picture for display on the “wall of heroes” in the senior center, the Korean War veteran wanted to know which medals he was authorized to wear in the photo. That’s when he contacted the American Legion, and after the American Legion identified Alexander’s medals. Medals of America then created a shadow box to display them.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen them that way. I didn’t know I had that many, let’s put it that way,” Alexander said, laughing.

And there was another surprise — a new medal. It was one Alexander didn’t know he had been awarded: aGood Conduct Medal from the U.S. Army.

“When you get out of the service, there’s a thing called the DD-214 which tells you everything you’ve done in the military. It’s kind of your bible that you get out with and that is the actual record that is recognized by the military for what you’ve done. In researching his DD-214, we found out he got a good conduct medal from the Army — even though he was Air Force because it used to be the Army Air Corps before it became the Air Force,” said Robert Skinner, the Idaho state commander of the American Legion.

“It’s a great honor for me to receive it, especially from my family and everything, Alexander said.

Alexander served in the Air Force for four years, from 1951 to 1955. At the surprise ceremony, he was also given a membership into American Legion Post 56 in Idaho Falls.