Cornyn helps replace medals for WWII vet’s Fort Worth family

Himself the son of a WWII prisoner of war, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, wanted to do something after thieves stole medals and uniform of the late Louis Read, an Army sergeant.

On Saturday, Cornyn gave Read’s family copies of the medals.

“During the conflict, he was bayoneted by a Japanese soldier,” Cornyn told WFAA. “And instead of giving up or going to get help, he stuffed a part of his shirt into the hole and just kept fighting.”

Read, who lived in Dallas, died in 2011 at 90. He survived the Bataan death march and was a prisoner of war for 3 1/2 years.

“One day, I got bayoneted and shot, all in the same day,” Read said in 2001, according to his obituary.

Copies of his medals, including his Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, were given to Read’s wife.

His daughter, Phyllis Wood, said the uniform had symbolized what her father went through.

“When I held the suit and looked at it, it was like seeing him and being with him, “ Wood said in a previous Star-Telegram interview.

Cornyn said replacing the medals is one of the highlights of his job.

“The idea that someone could steal those, take those from you and steal that object of affection of memory is tragic,” he told WFAA. “So it’s great to be able to replace these medals and return them to their rightful owner.”

Wood said when the items were stolen in June, it was like her father died all over again.

“When you lose a personality like my dad, there’s a hole there forever,” Wood told the station. “But we have his memories, and we have his medals and we can look at them and we can remember him.”

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This story was originally published September 6, 2016 at 7:07 PM with the headline "Cornyn helps replace medals for WWII vet’s Fort Worth family."