Men of honor

Thursday, September 5, 2002
(Leonna Essner, Staff)

Judge Advocate and Past Commander of American Legion Post 114 Arthur Bruce pins the Purple Heart medal on recipient Leon Robinson Culp Wednesday. Culp, United States Naval motor machinist mate, third class, was aboard Destroyer USS Brooks Jan. 6, 1945, when the ship was strafed by enemy Kamikaze aircraft in invasion of Lingayen Gulf, Philippines. As he was attempting to go below deck to warn the off-duty sailors and as he got near the passageway, a .25-caliber bullet hit him and he fell below deck. He was later transferred to the Australian ship HMAS Warramunga and taken to the Battleship Pennsylvania, where naval doctors removed the slug.

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