St. Peter veteran receives Congressional Gold Medal for WWII

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - A St. Peter veteran received a Congressional Gold Medal for his service during WWII and the Korean War.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar now talks about the importance of recognizing Merchant Marine.

Earl “Sonny” Meyer was presented his medal on Monday at the St. Peter American Legion.

During World War Two, Meyer served as a Merchant Marine, providing supplies to all branches of the military in combat zones.

He later served in the U.S. Army while enlisted in the Korean War.

In addition to the medal, Meyer was written a personal letter from Sen. Amy Klobuchar thanking the veteran for his service.

“A few years ago, we passed a bill that said that members of the merchant marine were eligible for this Congressional gold Medal of Honor,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar. “They were not eligible before, and so this is a culmination of a lot of work, not just on behalf of Earl, but on behalf of all Merchant Marines. But Earl really stands out, which is why he got the award. Only 184 individuals or groups in history have been awarded.”

According to the National World War II Museum, there were 9,521 Merchant Marines killed between 1939 and 1945; a higher proportion than any other branch of the military.

Click here to download the KEYC News Now app or our KEYC First Alert weather app.

Copyright 2023 KEYC. All rights reserved.