After nearly 80 years, Former US Army Private honored for WWII services
DETROIT (FOX 2) - On the 82nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, World War II veteran Early Jones was finally honored for his valorous service.
"Only the good lord has brought me to this place, and I give him the credit," Jones said. "I didn't have to go into the service, but I went because at the time I thought it was my duty."
Born in West Virginia, Jones served as a United States Army Private from 1943 until 1946 in the Quarter Masters Division. After returning home from the war, he went back to West Virginia until, eventually, the Detroit auto industry brought him to Michigan.
He served in an era when Black soldiers fought not only on foreign fronts, but also against racial inequalities within their own country. Their contributions were often overlooked.
"I didn’t experience, really, racism until I got into the army," Jones said.
While it was a long time in the making, Jones was formally recognized for his sacrifices and WWII service at the John D. Dingell Medical Center in Detroit, surrounded by loved ones.
"This is a great honor for my dad," his daughter, Patricia Jones, said. "For him to be honored to this magnitude – its really making his day, for one, because he wasn’t expecting all of this and neither was I. "I’m really happy that my dad is now being honored for serving his country"
"WW2 Veterans –we don’t have as many around as we used to," said the director Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, Brian Love. "They’re precious treasures. They’re part of that generation that took the next step to free democracy and preserve democracy. And so we honor them as much as possible because they’re just as important back in the day as today."
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