On behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Leland Craver, of New Sharon, Grassley in June made an application with the Department of the Army for a correction of military records regarding the circumstances surrounding their son's death in 1971.
"Dennis Craver gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty," said Grassley. "I am honored to bestow the Purple Heart in his memory to the Craver family. A quarter-century hasn't dimmed the sacrifice that this American soldier gave to defend the freedoms we enjoy today. On behalf of those who have served their country in uniform, I'm pleased that justice will prevail. Dennis Craver deserves this recognition for the selfless acts of courage and bravery he exhibited during the Vietnam War."
PFC Dennis L. Craver enlisted in the Regular Army for two years on March 24, 1970. After completing basic and advanced individual training, Craver was assigned on Aug. 27, 1970, to Battery A, 3 Battalion, 16 Field Artillery, in Southeast Asia.
On Feb. 27, 1971, PFC Dennis L. Craver died from severe burn wounds sustained on Feb. 26, 1971 when an enemy mortar round detonated at his base camp. The mortar blast also inflicted fatal injuries to two other American servicemen. At the time, the Army attributed the blast as an accidental detonation. Craver later was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.
After discovering this summer that his fellow soldiers were not awarded the Purple Heart, the sole survivor of the incident, PFC Walter R. Wallen, of Michigan, contacted the Craver family to help rectify the official record. He also sought citations for PFC John A. Cukale, Jr., of Wyoming, and Sgt. James L. Steinkirchner, of New York. Wallen attributed the blast to a booby trapped mortar shell that was delivered by the Vietnamese to their base camp.
Grassley's office was notified by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records that all records related to the case have been ordered corrected to show that PFC Dennis L. Craver was awarded the Purple Heart on Feb. 26, 1971. The Board concluded that "in the interest of justice [Craver] should be entitled to the award of the Purple Heart."