Vietnam War veteran Burnite honored posthumously with Silver Star

Vietnam War veteran Burnite honored posthumously with Silver Star
Published: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
By BARBARA ORMSBY
Times Correspondent
RIDLEY TOWNSHIP — A very special presentation marked Monday night’s Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District Veterans Summit at Ridley High School when U.S. Rep Joe Sestak, D-7, of Edgmont, presented a posthumous Silver Star to the sister of Barry Burnite, who was killed while serving in Vietnam with the Army.

Judith Nickel of Upland accepted the medal while standing on the stage in the school auditorium before an audience composed mostly of veterans.

“Tonight, we will be honored, Judith, if you will come up here,” Sestak said, calling Nickel and other family members to the stage.

“He (Burnite) was never recognized for his valor,” Sestak said.

According to the citation that accompanied the medal, Burnite was killed in November 1965 in Ia Drang Valley in the Republic of South Vietnam, while serving as a machine gunner with the 7th Cavalry, First Cavalry Division. During the Battle of Landing Zone Albany, SPC 4 Burnite was wounded early in the attack but continued to fight. Throughout the battle, he remained in the fight to redistribute ammunition, provide first aid to his wounded comrades and rally his squad to attack the North Vietnamese forces.
read more here
Vietnam War veteran Burnite honored posthumously with Silver Star