WWII 退役軍人, 89, receives belated Bronze 星／主役にする, Purple Heart
JOHNSTON, R.I. (AP) ― Alfred Bettencourt was an 18-year-old 私的な first class in the U.S. Army when he was 負傷させるd in 戦闘 in フラン during World War II. His 軍の 記録，記録的な／記録するs were destroyed in a 1973 解雇する／砲火／射撃, によれば 公式の／役人s, so he never received his 軍の 栄誉（を受ける）s.
But on Monday, Bettencourt, 89, finally received his メダルs ― 含むing the Bronze 星／主役にする メダル, the Purple Heart and the World War II Victory メダル ― at a 儀式 at the Morgan Health 中心 in Johnston, Rhode Island. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, who helped 回復する Bettencourt's 軍の 記録，記録的な／記録するs, hosted the event.
"From 1944 to now is a long time," Bettencourt said with 涙／ほころびs in his 注目する，もくろむs. "I waited a long time for this."
World War II 退役軍人 Alfred Bettencourt, left of Cranston, R.I., smiles as he arrives at his surprise メダル 儀式 Monday, March 9, 2015, in Johnston, R.I. Bettencourt was 負傷させるd in フラン but didn't receive the Purple Heart until now because his 記録，記録的な／記録するs were lost. Cranston 解雇する／砲火／射撃 Captain Chuck Pollock, 権利, helped Bettencourt 回復する his 記録，記録的な／記録するs. (AP Photo/Amy Anthony)
Bettencourt, who has been at the health 中心 for the past two months, said he was "shocked" to finally receive his メダルs and other 栄誉（を受ける）s like the European-African-Middle Eastern （選挙などの）運動をする メダル with 1 Bronze Service 星／主役にする and the 戦闘 歩兵 Badge 1st Award.
The 儀式 was a surprise planned by Bettencourt's family, 明言する／公表する 公式の／役人s, and the Cranston 解雇する／砲火／射撃 and police departments.
Last 落ちる, Cranston police Officer Julie Furgasso met Bettencourt while 答える／応じるing to a 井戸／弁護士席-存在 check at his apartment. Furgasso said she became like an "可決する・採択するd granddaughter" to Bettencourt, who was living alone.
When Furgasso discovered that Bettencourt had never received his 軍の 栄誉（を受ける）s, she reached out to her friend, Cranston 解雇する／砲火／射撃 Captain Chuck Pollock. They worked with Reed's office to get the 記録，記録的な／記録するs and 完全にする the paperwork.
"Everything he deserved, he got it," Pollock said. "It's a shame it took so long."
Bettencourt is one of about 3,000 World War II 退役軍人s living in the 明言する／公表する, によれば data from the U.S. Department of 退役軍人s 事件／事情／状勢s. As of Jan. 1, there were about 850,000 WWII 退役軍人s in the entire nation, but 492 WWII 退役軍人s die each day, によれば the data.
"S ixteen million Americans 現実に served in World War II, and for so many of them, it was a 職業 they did and they （機の）カム home and got 支援する to the 商売／仕事 of building their lives," said Kacey Hill, communications director for the 国家の World War II Museum in New Orleans. "It wasn't やむを得ず ありふれた for them to get this 承認 until now."
Bettencourt's niece, Amanda Bettencourt of Pawtucket, choked up while 述べるing how her uncle had waited.
"This is all he's talked about," she said.
Hill said the メダル 儀式s are important not only to the 退役軍人s receiving the 栄誉（を受ける）s but also to their families.
"It's so important we get this done while they're still with us, but it's 抱擁する for these families because it gives them a piece of their 親族's World War II story they can 心にいだく and pass on to their children," Hill said.
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, left, stands with World War II 退役軍人 Alfred Bettencourt, of Cranston, R.I., who received his Purple Heart during a surprise メダル 儀式 Monday, March 9, 2015, in Johnston, R.I. Bettencourt was 負傷させるd in フラン but didn't receive the Purple Heart until now because his 記録，記録的な／記録するs were lost. Cranston 解雇する／砲火／射撃 Captain Chuck Pollock, 権利, helped Bettencourt 回復する his 記録，記録的な／記録するs. (AP Photo/Amy Anthony)
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, left, stands with World War II 退役軍人 Alfred Bettencourt, of Cranston, R.I. after pinning his Purple Heart during a surprise メダル 儀式 Monday, March 9, 2015, in Johnston, R.I. Bettencourt was 負傷させるd in フラン but didn't receive the Purple Heart until now because his 記録，記録的な／記録するs were lost. Cranston 解雇する／砲火／射撃 Captain Chuck Pollock helped Bettencourt 回復する his 記録，記録的な／記録するs. (AP Photo/Amy Anthony)
