By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Niles Daily Star
MARCELLUS – It is never too late to be honored.
David C. Thornton, 83, of Marcellus waited many years to receive his Bronze Star. A World War II veteran and member of VFW Post 4054 in Marcellus, Thornton was the center of attention there Tuesday when Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, pinned on the belated medal.
A native of Niles, Thornton said he was like the guy in the commercials for the new film, "Flags of Our Fathers." "I don't feel like a hero – heroes are those who are still over there," he said.
"I looked over a wall and a bullet made a crease in the middle of my helmet," he remembered.
Thornton said during the war, he tried twice to connect with other classmates from Niles while in New Guinea. He found Jim Jaynes, but he had died just three days before. Then he searched on the other side of an island for Bob Tennison, only to find that he also had died three days before when the truck hit a mortar crater and he was shot by his own rifle which fired when it hit the steel floor.
"I'm not looking any more," Thornton told himself.
The men brought home souvenirs of jewelry made of coins and ash trays. The "Aussies," he said made rough cast models of planes out of aluminum.
Thornton served in the United States Army from Feb. 10, 1942 to Dec. 7, 1945. His Bronze Star, awarded by the Secretary of the Army in 1962, was never presented. A fire in St. Louis in the 1970s destroyed records from all the wars up to that point.
The medal presentation came about after a friend sent a letter to Upton, believing Thornton should be given the star he had earned.
"This is one of the most satisfying things I do," Upton said as he carefully pinned on Thornton's medal.
Upton read the certificate Thornton was presented: "For heroic achievement while assigned to Detachment I, 4025th Signal Service Group, in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations from 10 February 1945 to 23 February 1945, in military operations against an enemy of the United States during World War II. On 10 February 1945, Private Thornton and another soldier, who were on pass from regular duty, recognized the precarious situation and inadequacy of the arms of the guerilla units guarding the exit of the surrounded Japanese strong point, volunteered and led several guerillas to the successful assault and killing of about 35 Japanese soldiers out of 100 that were acting as an outpost while the rest fled. Then on 23 February 1945, word was received that Japanese soldiers fleeing the Walled City in Manila, rode on boats and occupied the numerous fish traps in the Manila Bay. Private Thornton and the other soldier, along with about 20 guerillas, went to patrol the reported Japanese occupied fish traps, where they encountered and killed 16 Japanese soldiers. Private First Class Thornton's loyalty, diligence and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on himself, the 4025 Signal Service Group and the Army of the United States."
Following his leaving the Army, which he joined following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Thornton returned to study to become a wildlife biologist at Michigan State University using his GI Bill educational benefits.
He moved to Marcellus in 1952, to his wife Julie's family farm, built in 1856 by her great-grandfather Cromley.
He was a biologist for two years in North Carolina, but ended up as a teacher like his wife, sitting in to help out and eventually getting his teaching credits and a masters. He taught mainly biology in Constantine, and after 20 years of teaching, he was an assistant plant manager at a seed corn plant for nine years.
He retired at 63, and has been a columnist for the Marcellus News for 20 years, writing about plants, animals and geology. He also wrote about growing up in Niles and going fishing in the Dowagiac River.
His father left when he was a year old and he was raised by his mother, Ruth. He also said he was pretty much on his own at the age of 8.
Thornton and his wife have two sons, Brian in Tennessee and Jeffrey in Minnesota.
Upton also promoted the veteran's project where memories are recorded and stored by the Library of Congress, which he did with his own dad. Thornton himself has interviewed 100 people and put 85 stories into a book.
"Those stories will go away if not recorded," Upton agreed. The congressman was treated to a tour of the veterans museum at the post in Marcellus following the presentation.