D-Day Veteran Receives WWII Medals on Eve of 71st Anniversary of Japanese Surrender

NEW CITY, NY – He had to wait more than 70 years, but last Thursday Suffern resident and D-Day survivor Maurice Solomon received five medals he was awarded at the end of World War II.

Rockland Veterans Services director Jerry Donnellan contacted the military and got the medals that Mr. Solomon earned.

He and Rockland County Executive Ed Day presented the medals to the 93-year-old war hero, who said he wanted them for his two children and seven grandchildren.

“You made all of us here in Rockland proud,” County Executive Day told Mr. Solomon on Thursday, the day before the 71th anniversary of the surrender of Japan.

Solomon, a retired pharmacist, said he was “very proud and very happy” to receive the medals.

“It means a lot to me,” he said.

Solomon landed on Omaha Beach on the first day of the Normandy invasion as a member of the 294th Joint Assault Signal Company.

He was awarded five medals:

•         Good conduct medal

•        Asiatic-Pacific medal

•        European Theater medal

•        Victory medal

•        French Croix De Guerre with Palm

(pictured: Rockland County Executive Ed Day, Maurice Solomon, Rockland Veterans Services director Jerry Donnellan – photo also attacched)