An Urbandale woman has received multiple Military Medals, on behalf of her late husband, who served in Vietnam.
Susan Dudley's husband David enlisted into the Army in 1966. He served on the front lines in Vietnam from 1967-68 and went on to serve in the Iowa State Patrol for 25 years, before beoming an instructor at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. He died in 2014.
Senator Grassley today (Friday) presented Susan Dudley with her late husband's military medals including: the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with the letter "V" Device, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Four Bronze Service Stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Device, the Expert Badge with Mortar and Pistol Bar, the Sharpshooter Badge with Auto Rifle Bar and the Marksman Badge with the Rifle Bar.
"So this is all for him, and for the kids to know what a man their dad was. It wasn't easy, if you research the 1st Cavalrly, they were on the ground, helicoptered into hot spots, so he spent all of his tour walking through," said Susan Dudley. "I have his letters, every letter he wrote me from Vietnam. I have in a box, so I can tell where he was at,"
The Dudley's filed a service connection claim regarding the effects of Agent Orange in 2010. Senator Charles Grassley's Office opened an inquiry, and in February 2011 they were awarded a 100-percent service connection, meaning David Dudley's health condition was 100-percent correlated with his exposure to Agent Orange during his military service.