During Tearful Exchange, Haverhill Woman Receives Late Dad’s Vietnam Medals

(Additional photograph below.)

A Haverhill woman was brought to tears last week when Congresswoman Lori Trahan hand-delivered long sought-after medals awarded to a Vietnam veteran who died last year.

Julie Ambrose said her father Raymond Sanders of Columbus, Ohio, served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. She said undertook a personal mission to collect her father’s honors.

“He got sick a couple of years ago and it was really important to me that we get these medals,” she said.

Ambrose first reached out to the National Archives, but after waiting a year, she turned to Trahan for help. The Congresswoman invited Ambrose and her husband Shawn to last week’s grant ceremony outside the Bradford Fire Station where she presented the medals and a citation to the family.

Ambrose explained her dad was discharged in 1971—the year before she was born, became ill in recent years and died in April of 2022. “He was obviously in Vietnam, never really liked to talk about it, but he was a very, very proud American” she said.

Trahan presented the medals in a display case and Ambrose described each one. “This one, I believe, is for service in the Vietnam War, National Defense, and he had an Automatic Rifle and a Rifle and then this one—I didn’t know about—is a Vietnam Veteran Recognition.”

Trahan and Ambrose shared a hug as Ambrose’s voice broke up and tears flowed during the emotional exchange.