{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-presents-lost-medals-to-family-of-world-war-ii-pilot", "Cramer Presents Lost Medals to Family of World War II Pilot", "2016-12-28", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "ND", "Kevin Cramer", "C001096", "cramer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FARGO, N.D. \u2013 Congressman Kevin Cramer presented the family of the late Sgt. Robert\u00a0Johnston six World War II military medals in a ceremony today at the Fargo Air Museum. \u00a0The medals were earned during Johnston\u2019s service in the Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945.\u00a0\nRecords of the medals were lost and never awarded to Johnston, who died in 1996.\u00a0 His grandson, Levi Otis of Fargo, contacted Cramer\u2019s office for assistance in locating the lost records.\nIn today\u2019s ceremony, Cramer presented Johnston\u2019s widow, Lila Johnston, with her husband\u2019s medals, the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster, the POW Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and Bronze Star Attachment, the World War II Victory Medal and the Honorable Service Lapel Button from World War II.\u00a0 He also presented her with an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol Building.\u00a0\n\u201cIt is my great honor to present these medals to you,\u201d Cramer told Mrs. Johnston.\u00a0 \u201cAs the service person serves, so does the spouse and the family.\u00a0 Thank you for giving me the opportunity today to honor the memory of your husband and recognize this outstanding member of our Greatest Generation.\u201d\nJohnston served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as an airplane mechanic gunner.\u00a0 He took part in the massive Allied air offenses over German-controlled Europe, which included the Naples-Foggia Campaign that was vital in driving Italy from the war, and the Rome-Arno Campaign which not only liberated the city of Rome, but saved the lives of countless Italian citizens.\u00a0\nHis airplane was shot down flying over enemy territory on Jan. 30, 1944. \u00a0Johnston was forced to parachute out of the plane, injuring his shoulder, where he was captured by German soldiers.\u00a0 He was sent to a prisoner of war camp in East Prussia and then to Germany.\u00a0 A POW for 16 months, Johnston stole a German officer\u2019s car and escaped to Allied territory.\u00a0\nAfter World War II, Johnston returned to his home area of Henning, Minn., and later served in the Korean War. He was a self-employed heavy equipment operator, farmer and trucker.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-presents-lost-medals-to-family-of-world-war-ii-pilot"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8912170305848122, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}