Cold War Veterans Blog

Emanuel Awards Long-Overdue Medals to Navy Veterans.

Debra Dale, WBBM NewsRadio 780 Reporting

CHICAGO -- Congressman Rahm Emanuel today awarded award long-overdue medals to two Navy veterans.

Charles B. Roberts received the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon and the Battle "E" Efficiency Pennant he earned as Quartermaster Third Class aboard the USS Barb, a nuclear submarine in the U.S. Pacific fleet, in 1966 and 1967.

Those Cold War missions and others of sister subs are still classified. Roberts and others who served on these missions remain sworn to secrecy. Roberts also received the letter of commendation written by then-Secretary of the Navy John H. Chafee.


Irwin W. Gleisner, 92, got the medals he earned more than 50 years ago, as Machinist Mate First Class in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

The medals include American Theater Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Medal, the Philippine Liberation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the Victory Medal.

Gleisner says that the real heroes are the ones who never returned, and he sought his medals only at the insistence of his daughters