SAMSON, Ala. (WDHN) — Earlier this week ahead of Veterans Day U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville honored America’s men and women in uniform on the Senate floor, and one of the five veterans from Alabama he honored was Marine Corporal Edsel Bonds of Samson.
Seventy-five-year-old Edsel Bonds of Samson shows the effects of being hit with a shell blast to his right femur while on a mission to intercept guerillas during the Vietnam War in 1966.
U.S. Marine Corporal Bonds nearly lost his life, but senator Tuberville on the U.S. Senate floor honored his valiant actions.
“Like that of Corporal Bonds of Samson, Alabama who experienced a shell blast to his right femur on January 28th, 1966 while on a mission to intercept guerillas during the Vietnam War,” Sen. Tuberville said.
Bonds knows first hand the sacrifice of risking life and limb because he believed that America is worth sacrificing for.
“It’s an honor to receive that recognition because you rarely hear anyone say thank you anymore,” Bonds said. “A lot of people do that and it’s uplifting when people do say thank you.”
“I’m proud of Edsel,” Rita Bonds said. “He still helps veterans with the D.A.V. two days a week in Enterprise, and then he has a lot of veterans who come to the house he files claims for. He stands for the veteran.”
“Now nearly 56 years later from the time of his injury he is just as patriotic as ever,” Senator Tuberville said. “He views his service as something as necessary for our country to remain the greatest country in the world.”
