KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Susan Browning of Jersey Shore, the daughter of Staff Sergeant Milford Browning , receives one the medals from U.S. Rep. G.T. Thompson in Williamsport on Monday morning.

A long overdue honoring of a World War II patriot happened Monday in Lycoming County.

“Susan, your father was a patriot,” said U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Howard, to the Jersey Shore resident and daughter of Milford E. Browning, presenting her and the family with nine service medals, including a Bronze Star, awarded to those who distinguish themselves by heroic actions, given for distinguished service.

In a ceremony wrought with patriotism and gratitude for the ‘greatest generation,’ Thompson told members of the media that his office staff received the paperwork about the medals unreceived from his family and his staff then reached out to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Among the medals positioned on the table in front of Lycoming County Commissioners Scott Metzger, Marc Sortman and Mark Mussina and handed out were the Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Victory Medal, Combat Infantry Medal, badges with pins for Honorable Service and Sharp-Shooter and Marksman.

Thompson thanked the family for reaching out to “make sure his history is not lost.”

PROVIDED PHOTO Staff Sergerant Milford Browning.

His is among the “legacy of those who saved the world and a representation of the best and the brightest that our nation offers,” he said.

“He wore the uniform with honor,” Susan Browning said. “He chewed a lot of dirt and saw a lot of stuff over there.”

Born in 1917 in Hyndman, at age 24, he enlisted in the Army. When he joined the military in 1941, the U.S. had not officially entered the war, but the threat to the nation’s freedom was evident at that point, Thompson said, reading the soldier’s service history.

Before he was sent overseas he was at Fort Lewis, Washington, as part of a group on guard for any enemy activity coming into the states via the western Pacific, and that was before the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan, according to his daughter.

In the thick of it

KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette The family of Staff Sergeant Milford Browning holds the medals the received from U.S. Rep. G.T. Thompson in Williamsport on Monday morning.

Throughout his tenure in the war, Browning served in northern France, the Rhineland, and central Europe. In 1944, through the spring of 1945, the 94th Infantry Division fought throughout northern France, pushing onward toward eastern Germany, Thompson said.

Browning endured the rugged terrain of the Rhineland, and the forested mountains that bordered northern France and Belgium, Thompson said.

“The 94th infantry was in battle for 209 days . . . they were the spear to get into Germany,” his daughter said.

As part of Gen George Patton’s Third Army, “they were dug in like ticks and it was a hard, hard road to push through,” Browning said. The Allied forces moved so fast they outran the supply lines, she said. “They did not have their winter gear and it was one of the coldest winters in Europe’s history – they were cold, they were hungry, they were being bombarded left and right.”

Browning, who was in Co. D, equipped with heavy machine guns, was responsible for a 50 caliber crew, a 30 caliber crew and a mortar crew.

“He supported frontline infantry and he was in the thick of it,” she said.

Metzger credited Susan’s skillfulness at describing in detail what happened in Europe.

“We are honored this morning to celebrate with the Milford Browning family on this special occasion,” he said, yet another example of what is making America250 this year so special.

“As we celebrate America’s 250, what a privilege to honor a member from the greatest generation that ever existed – the generation that fought in World War II,” Metzger said. “Because without those brave souls our world would be completely different,” he added. “So, they truly are the greatest generation and we are here this morning to honor one of those.”