Long-missing World War II medal awarded in Los Angeles

  • By ROBERT JABLON

    Associated Press

  • Monday, February 18th, 2013
    AP photo Army Capt. Zachariah L. Fike presents Hyla Merin with a plaque that contains medals, from left, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal along with a Silver Star that he pinned to her during a ceremony at her home, Sunday, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The medals were presented posthumously to her father after they were recently discovered in an apartment where Merin’s mother and aunts had once lived.

    AP photo Army Capt. Zachariah L. Fike presents Hyla Merin with a plaque that contains medals, from left, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal along with a Silver Star that he pinned to her during a ceremony at her home, Sunday, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The medals were presented posthumously to her father after they were recently discovered in an apartment where Merin’s mother and aunts had once lived.

    AP photo The Silver Star is seen after it was pinned to Hyla Merin by Army Capt. Zachariah L. Fike during a ceremony at her home, Sunday, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The Silver Star along with several other medals including a Purple Heart that were presented posthumously to her father after being discovered recently in an apartment where Merin’s mother and aunts had once lived.

    AP photo The Silver Star is seen after it was pinned to Hyla Merin by Army Capt. Zachariah L. Fike during a ceremony at her home, Sunday, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The Silver Star along with several other medals including a Purple Heart that were presented posthumously to her father after being discovered recently in an apartment where Merin’s mother and aunts had once lived.

    AP photo This undated image provided by Hyla Merin shows 2nd Lt. Hyman Markel with his bride, Celia Markel. Markel was a rabbi’s son, brilliant at mathematics and the brave winner of a Purple Heart, who died in 1945.

    AP photo This undated image provided by Hyla Merin shows 2nd Lt. Hyman Markel with his bride, Celia Markel. Markel was a rabbi’s son, brilliant at mathematics and the brave winner of a Purple Heart, who died in 1945.