Recognition for WWII Army Rangers
Two Army Rangers will be honored for their bravery during World War II by the Daily Caller News Foundation. On Thursday, congressional leaders are set to present the Congressional Gold Medal to all US Rangers who served in the conflict. Joseph Drake, aged 100, and John Wardell, who is 99, made their way to the US Capitol to receive this prestigious civilian honor, nearly 80 years after the war came to an end.
The ceremony will include various Congressional leaders and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. According to remarks obtained beforehand, Speaker Mike Johnson intends to commend the courage of the Army Rangers, referring to Wardell and Drake as “the best of America.” He’s expected to say something along the lines of, “When these men touched down on the rugged shores of Northern Ireland for training, the future of the free world hung in the balance.” He notes the diverse backgrounds of these rangers, who came from various walks of life—welders, waiters, musicians, and so on.
Johnson might add, “These were ordinary folks staring down death, and, by some grace, they accomplished the extraordinary. They were tough, they fought with everything they had—they were truly America’s best.”
Drake, a 19-year-old soldier at the time, was part of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, engaging in battles across Northern France, Belgium, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. He returned home just a day before his 21st birthday in October 1945, based on a biography that outlines his service.
Similarly, Wardell also served in the 2nd Ranger Battalion and participated in the Normandy landings, famously known as D-Day, in June 1944. He enlisted at 18 and was discharged at the close of 1945.
Senators Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, and Jason Crow, a Democrat from Colorado, spearheaded legislation to posthumously award over 7,000 Army Rangers from World War II with Congressional Gold Medals. As of May 2022, only 15 of these rangers were still alive.
A spokesperson for Johnson indicated that four of the surviving Army Rangers are expected to attend the event on Thursday.
