Medal Presentation Ceremony to Posthumously Honor Private First Class Donald L. Buchanan, U.S. -Rushford native

WHERE:Veterans Memorial, War Veterans Park, 551 East State Street, Olean, NY

WHEN: Saturday, September 23, 2017; 2:00 P.M.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I - Olean) will honor the late U.S. Army Private First Class Donald L. Buchanan by recognizing his outstanding service to our nation. The posthumous medal ceremony will take place at the Veterans Memorial at War Veterans Park, 551 East State Street, Olean, NY. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held under the park pavilion.  Medals will be presented to PFC Buchanan’s son, Donald Buchanan, Jr., recognizing his outstanding record of military service during World War II, during which he served in the Italian Campaign.  From the United State Army, PFC Buchanan will receive: 
·The Bronze Star Medal
· The Purple Heart Medal
· The Good Conduct Medal
· The American Campaign Medal
· The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Three Bronze Service Stars
·The World War II Victory Medal
· The Combat Infantryman Badge
·The Honorable Service Lapel Button
· The U.S. Army Sharpshooter Badge with Machine Gun Bar
 ·The U.S. Army Driver and Mechanics Badge
He will also receive from the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross with Silver Device and the New York State Medal for Merit with four Silver Devices.  Born in Rushford, New York on December 20, 1919, PFC Buchanan was working as a dairy farmer on the family farm when he was inducted into the U.S. Army on July 20, 1942. Private Buchanan was part of the initial cadre of the newly formed 350^th “Battle Mountain” Infantry Regiment, of the 88^th Infantry Division, the Fighting Blue Devils;” the first all-draftee division constituted by the U.S. Army. Under the command of Maj. General John E. Sloan, the division left the U.S. by troop ship on December 4, 1943 and arrived in Casablanca, French Morocco 19 days later.  From North Africa, the regiment advanced to Naples, Italy on February 6, 1944, becoming the first draftee unit to enter a combat zone in World War II. Over the next 15 months, Private Buchanan and his regiment would engage in key battles in Anzio, Volterra, and the Po Valley, ultimately leading to the surrender of the Germans on May 2, 1945. From May 2, 1945 to August 2, 1945, Private Buchanan was part of the Division force responsible for guarding and later repatriating 324,462 prisoners of war. By the end of the war, the men of the 88^th Infantry Division had been in combat 344 days, suffering 13,111 casualties. Private Buchanan departed the European Theater on August 16, 1945 and returned to the United States eight days later. He was discharged, a private first class, on October 11, 1945 from Camp Campbell, Kentucky. He had served two years, 10 months and 27 days on active duty with one year, two months and 20 days overseas, with most of that time in direct combat.  Mr. Buchanan returned to Rushford and resumed his work on the family farm, before purchasing his own 100-acre dairy farm on Rush Creek Road. He married Virginia Irene Pangburn of Cuba, raising nine children. The couple was married 18 years when Mrs. Buchanan preceded her husband in death. He died in 1976.