Vietnam War vet gets medals for Army service 40 years later

CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) - A Vietnam War veteran has received medals in Rhode Island more than 40 years after his service.

Paul Harvey was awarded a Silver Star, a Purple Heart and other awards during a ceremony Friday in Democratic U.S. Sen. Jack Reed's office.

Harvey is a 71-year-old Jamestown resident. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1967 and served in Vietnam as a member of the Wolfhounds.

He said he earned the Silver Star for retrieving the body of a fallen soldier from an armed North Vietnamese camp. He earned the Purple Heart for being wounded twice while performing similar missions.

Harvey was honorably discharged in 1973 and worked as a commercial fisherman.

He was supposed to receive the medals before leaving Vietnam but didn't want to wait there for the ceremony.