More from the family of Patrick Calhoun, Jr.

Patrick sent me several pages of information about the passing of two members of his family which ended up as a couple of paragraphs in the Flowers of the Forest section of the last newsletter due to space considerations. Quite honestly, his heartfelt letter and generous sharing of information about his family members sparked something in my mind to create this blog. I'd already been writing a personal blog (with a Scots flavor) so it was easy to put this up knowing the "how" to do it before I started.





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—Staff Photo by Larry Miller
Rep. Vic Snyder, second from right, presents Norma Calhoun and her children, from left, Mark, Mona and Rick, with their father’s military medals.
Calhoun family receives medals

U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder made a special presentation at the Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce on Monday. Snyder presented medals and awards to the family of the late Patrick Calhoun, who served in the United States Army in World War II.
Although Calhoun received a Purple Heart and some service ribbons in 1944 while in an English hospital recovering from wounds, the remainder of his medals were presented posthumously to his widow, Norma Calhoun, on Monday.
Conway County Director of Veterans Affairs, Herbert “Hub” Hesselbein, contacted Rep. Snyder’s office for assistance in securing the medals and awards through the National Personnel Records Center, a part of the National Archives and the Department of the U.S. Army.
Calhoun was awarded the following: Bronze Star Medal for Distinguished Service while engaged in an action against the enemy under hostile fire; Purple Heart Medal for wounds received in combat; Combat Infantryman Badge, 1st Award; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars; Good Conduct Medal; American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; and Honorable Service Lapel Button.
In 1994, Calhoun received a Medal from the French government commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion and the liberation of France.
Calhoun enlisted in the United States Army at Fort Thomas, Ky., in 1937 and was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division during WWII. On June 6, 1944, he led a platoon ashore at Utah Beach as part of the Normandy Invasion by Allied forces under Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. After 51 days of combat, Calhoun was wounded on July 26, 1944, during the battle of Saint-Lo, France, and spent the remainder of the war in an Allied hospital in Cardiff, England.
Calhoun was stationed at Camp Joe T. Robinson in North Little Rock before shipping out to France in 1944.
Calhoun was an advocate for veterans’ affairs as the long-time post commander of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 13 in Morrilton.
Members of Calhoun’s family attending the presentation included his widow, Norma Calhoun; daughter, Mona Scroggins; and sons, Rick and Mark Calhoun. Also in attendance were members of Rep. Snyder’s staff, Mayor Bobby Kirby, members of the Morrilton Police Department, and friends of the family.
Calhoun passed away on Feb. 8, 2007.







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