In the News

ROANOKE, Va. – Robert Wilkin has spent decades trying to find his father’s Medal of Honor after he was first awarded it back when he was a child. Wilkin’s father was U.S. Army Corporal Edward Wilkin. Cpl. Wilkin repeatedly went ahead of his unit and engaged the German forces alone, and later evacuated wounded soldiers from the battlefield despite heavy enemy fire. He contributed in large measure to his company’s success in cracking the Siegfried line... “When it comes to finding a lost medal or replacing a lost medal — that is something our team does,” Cline said. “This one was a little unique because they weren’t able to replicate it or reproduce it. So for my team to go the extra step beyond, to track down the original in a museum in Massachusetts, just reinforces to me what a great job they do.” ... On Friday afternoon, Rep. Cline re-presented the Medal of Honor back to Wilkin. Cline said it was just an honor to be able to do it. “Only 400 of these were awarded in World War II and only a few thousand have been awarded since,” Cline said. “The medal was established by Abraham Lincoln, so to be able to present this on behalf of a grateful nation, it’s part of my job and my honor to be able to present it to him today.” ... Read more here.