Local veteran recieves Congressional Gold Medal

Lt. Col. William Bruring awarded with highest civil honor

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Lieutenant Colonel William Bruring was recognized for his service in World War II under the Civil Air Patrol Saturday.

Bruring received a replica of the Congressional Gold Medal at the Civil Air Patrol Headquarters.  He was officially awarded with the medal in December in Washington D.C.

Bruring is a Central high school graduate and began his service along with the Civil Air Patrol in December 1941, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor.  He says the award could only be described in four words.

“It is a pinnacle of my honors that I have received over many many years.  I would say it’s the most of the best, the most of the best, and this is it,” said Bruring.

The rarely awarded medal is considered to be the highest civilian honor.

Congressman Ron Kind says it’s never too late to recognize those that fought for the United States.

“If it wasn’t for people like Lt. Col. Bill Bruring willing to step up and serve, who knows what the outcome of that second World War may have looked like, the shape of history that would have followed soon after so it was the right thing to do and it follows under that category that it’s never too late to do the right thing, especially when it comes to our veterans,” said Kind.

The medal will reside at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.