Henry Raymond
Fairfax News => Current News & Events => Topic started by: Henry on April 11, 2004, 08:28:23 AM
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Hi All,
Randy Devine’s son, Army Pfc. Larry J. Burns has been decorated with the Combat Infantry Badge for supporting the mission of Operation Iraqi Freedom and participating in Operation Northern Delay in Iraq. The soldier returned to Vicenza, Italy, where he is a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
The badge is awarded to individuals in the grade of colonel or below with an infantry military occupational specialty. Recipients must have satisfactorily performed duties while assigned as a member of an infantry unit, brigade or smaller size, while engaged in active ground combat.
During Operation Northern Delay at Bashir Airfield, paratroopers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade established the northernmost coalition offensive boundary and created a stable logistical intersecting point to allow the introduction of equipment and troops into the theater. The operation was the largest airborne assault since World War II and forced Iraqi army to maintain approximately six divisions in the area to protect their northern flank, providing strategic relief for the Coalition Forces advancing on Baghdad.
The multiple operations missions accomplished by the brigade paratroopers included seizing the city of Kirkuk, the northern oil fields and several military airfields, thousands of enemy weapons and explosives, millions of dollars worth of terrorist funds, and defeated organized military residents and arrested hundreds of terrorist and former regime loyalists.
Burns, an airborne infantryman and anti-tank weapon systems gunner, also received the Combat Jump Star. The private first class has served in the military for two years.
He is the son of Tammy J. Sprague of Essex Junction, Vt., and Randy L. Devine of Fairfax, Vt.
His wife, Jasmine, is the daughter of Jeff and Andria Sanford of Green Acres, Swanton, Vt.
The private is a 2002 graduate of Essex High School, Essex, Junction.
Just in case you don't know or remember who he is, below is a photo of the proud Dad, Randy.
(http://www.vtgrandpa.com/newsclips/randy.jpg)[/img]