Ahead of National Purple Heart Day, Higgins presents medals earned by 3 Western New Yorkers

National Purple Heart Day is Aug. 7

Ahead of National Purple Heart Day, Congressman Brian Higgins joined the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 187, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 77, and the Patriot Guard Riders of New York to present the Purple Heart and several other service medals to John R. Jenkins, the family of Florian J. Fenclau, and the family of Joseph M. Urbanczyk at a ceremony at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park.

His team said, “The three Western New Yorkers represent dedicated military service in World War II and Vietnam.”

Higgins said, “Veterans and their families make significant sacrifices for our country. It is a true privilege to see they receive the honor and recognition they earned. The Purple Heart is a solemn, but courageous distinction. These brave Western New Yorkers represent the very best in our community and we are proud to recognize all they gave. On behalf of a grateful community and a grateful nation, we are forever indebted to their selfless service.”

•Technical Sgt. John Rodney Jenkins was born in 1942, grew up in east Buffalo and currently lives in Cheektowaga. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1967 during the Vietnam War. After completing basic training and advanced individual training (AIT) at Fort Benning in Georgia, he was sent to Fort Polk in Louisiana and Fort Carson in Colorado for additional training before deploying to Vietnam.

While serving, he achieved the rank of technical sergeant for the Army’s 11th Infantry in the 5th Infantry Division, leading his own fire squad. On Oct. 1, 1968, Jenkins was injured in the line of duty, receiving wounds in connection with military operations against a hostile enemy. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1969 and went on to work at the VA Medical Center.

Jenkins never received the Purple Heart he earned; at the time it was awarded, the medal sets were not available.

He was awarded the:

√ Purple Heart

√ National Defense Service Medal

√ Vietnam Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star

√ Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award

√ Sharpshooter Badge with Automatic Rifle Bar

√ Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar

√ Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Device.

Higgins’ office entered his name into the Purple Heart Hall of Honor. During the ceremony, Higgins also presented the family with a Vietnam veteran lapel pin, a certificate from the Purple Heart Hall of Honor, and a flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol Building.

•Technical Sgt. Florian J. Fenclau was born in 1921 in Erie County. He joined the U.S. Army on Aug. 12, 1942, and went on to serve in World War II with the 418th Technical School Squadron, 326th Bomber Squad, 92nd Bomb Group.

While serving overseas, he was a ball turret gunner on a B-17 when it was shot down on Oct. 4, 1943. He was then placed in a prisoner of war camp at Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug, which is near Heydekrug, East Prussia, with 20 other American POWs. Fenclau remained there until Sept. 22, 1944, when he was returned to the U.S. military with bullet wounds in his arm that never fully healed. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army on Nov. 8, 1945, and passed in 1979.

For his courageous service, Fenclau earned the:

√ Distinguished Service Medal, one of the highest military decorations above the Silver Star

√ Purple Heart

√ Good Conduct Medal (Army)

√ Prisoner of War Medal

√ American Campaign Medal

√ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Bronze Star

√ World War II Victory Medal

√ World War II Honorable Service Lapel Button

His daughter, Jody Mellerski, a resident of Amherst, reached out to Higgins’ office to receive a full set of her father’s medals. The office also entered Fenclau into the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. During the ceremony, Fenclau’s family was presented with a certificate from the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, and a flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol Building.

•Spc. Four Joseph M. Urbanczyk was born in 1948 and graduated from Lackawanna High School. He was a student at Erie County Technical Institute before he was drafted into the U.S. Army in April of 1968.

Urbanczyk became a specialist four in the Army, serving with Company C, 321 Infantry of the 196th Light Infantry. Urbanczyk was killed in action on March 13, 1969, by enemy forces in Quang Tin Provence, South Vietnam.

Higgins’ office entered his name into the Purple Heart Hall of Honor in 2015. His name is also on the Vietnam Veterans Wall in Washington, D.C., as well as the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park.

After his passing, Urbanczyk’s mother refused to accept the Purple Heart, as she grieved the loss of her son. His platoon leader called his mother every Sunday until the day she died.

In honor of his heroic service, Urbanczyk earned the:

√ Purple Heart

√ Bronze Sar Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster Bronze, Letter V Device, signifying two Bronze Star awards

√ Good Conduct Medal

√ National Defense Service Medal

√ Vietnam Service Medal with a triple Bronze Star attachment

√ Combat Infantryman Badge First Award

√ Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Device

√ Sharpshooter Badge and Rifle Bar

Urbanczyk’s sister, Audrey, reached out to Higgins’ office in an effort to help her family receive the Purple Heart he earned. During the ceremony, the family was also presented with Vietnam veteran “In Memory Of” lapel pins and certificate; a Vietnam veterans lapel pin that would have bene presented to Urbanczyk; a certificate from the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor; and a flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol Building.

National Purple Heart Day is celebrated annually on Aug. 7 to honor the brave service members who were wounded in action or paid the ultimate sacrifice for this country. It is estimated that more than a million Purple Hearts have been awarded. Formed in 1932, the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) is composed exclusively of men and women who have received the Purple Heart. It is the one veterans service organization with only “combat” veterans as members. There are about 45,000 members of the MOPH members today, including active chapters in Erie and Niagara counties.