Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel, Assemblyman Andrew Goodell; Patricia Lindfors, daughter of PFC Tedesco; PFC Thomas Tedesco; Senator George Borrello; and Roseann Carlson, daughter of PFC Tedesco.
State and local officials along with family members gathered at the Fenton History Center mansion on Thursday to honor a World War II veteran with a medal presentation ceremony.
98-year old Private First Class Thomas A. Tedesco of Falconer served in the U.S. Army Aircorp and Infantry. He was drafted in February 1943 and was sent to England in December 1943. Tedesco was part of the D-Day armada and then later was on the front lines of the Battle of the Bulge in Europe. He remained in Europe through VE day, returning to the United States in July 1945.
State Senator George Borrello said the medals were just being awarded to Mr. Tedesco due to several factors, including a shortage of metal following World War 2, “And so a lot of medals did not get awarded. And then, of course you know, typical government bureaucracy, it took a long time and records were lost in a big fire, is my understanding. And thanks to the diligence of his family and our Senate staff led by the head of Veterans Concerns, George Philgrove, who is himself a veteran, and persistence, a lot of persistence, we were able to cut through the red tape and get these medals awarded.”
Tedesco was presented with the Bronze Star, Good Conduct medal, American Campaign medal, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, two Bronze Service Stars, the World War 2 Victory Medal, a Combat Infantrymen’s Badge, and the Honorable Service Lapel pin from the United States Army. In addition, he received from the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross and Medal For Merit.
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