Bridge dedicated to Medal of Honor recipient
Jul. 13—The state Route 206 bridge over the west branch of the Delaware River in Walton was dedicated in honor of 1st Lt. Stephen H. Doane Thursday, July 13.
Doane is the only Medal of Honor recipient from Delaware County. A plaque in Veterans Plaza was dedicated in his memory last year, and that is where the highway marker was unveiled Thursday.
Eric Doane, Stephen's younger brother, said when he came to the dedication ceremony last year, he heard the bridge would be dedicated to his brother and vowed to come back. Eric now lives in Georgia with his wife, Sue, who was also at the ceremony. Stephen's other brother Michael, and his wife, Nora, who live in South Carolina, and his niece Barbara Doane, who lives in Virginia, also came for the ceremony.
Eric read some letters Stephen wrote home to his parents, dog and wrestling coach. He said the sampling of letters showed how quickly Stephen went from being a boy to being a man while fighting in Vietnam.
He choked back tears while he read a letter about someone in Stephen's platoon being killed in action.
Assemblyman Joseph Angelino, R-Norwich, who received a Purple Heart, said there are only about 3,000 service members who have received the Medal of Honor. He said the people investigating whether a person deserves the honor or not really scrutinize and interview people to see if they can find fault with the story. They could not find fault with Stephen's heroic actions, he said. He brought with him two sign-grade medal of honor plates to place on the sign. He presented Cetta with a copy of the bill signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul designating the bridge.
Doane, who grew up in Walton and graduated from Walton High School, was killed March 25, 1969 while serving in the Army during the Vietnam War.
According to his Medal of Honor citation, while serving as platoon leader, Doane and his company were engaged in a tactical operation and encountered enemy forces concealed in protected bunkers and trenches. Three soldiers were pinned down and one was seriously wounded by enemy crossfire, it said. One platoon tried to rescue the men, but failed, and small groups were dispatched to try to move close enough to destroy the enemy position and rescue the trapped men.
"1LT Doane, although fully aware of the danger of such an action, crawled to the nearest enemy bunker and silenced it," the citation said. "He was wounded but continued to advance to a second enemy bunker. As he prepared to throw a grenade, he was again wounded. Undaunted, he deliberately pulled the pin on the grenade and lunged with it into the enemy bunker, destroying this final obstacle."
His sacrifice allowed his company to rescue the trapped men without further casualties, the citation said. Doane was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon.
Assemblyman Chris Tague, R-Schoharie, presented Eric and Michael with citations.
Members of the military who are conducting the Healthy Delaware Army Innovative Readiness Training mission, Walton Mayor Edward Snow, the American Legion Color Guard and Delaware County Sheriff's Color Guard also attended the ceremony.
Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.
