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The party for Walter Leary's 80th birthday wasn't the only surprise this retired seaman received at the local Eagles Hall.

He received seven long overdue medals from the Navy, including the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

"This is the surprise of my life," the Stockbridge resident told the assembled crowd of 150 friends and family members, including his children, grandchildren and one great-grandson on Saturday. "This did my heart good."

It's been 57 years since the seaman first class' honorable discharge.

His family secretly arranged for a representative of the U.S. Navy and a color guard to come to the event and present him with the medals he earned, but never received.

"He never mentioned that he didn't get the medals until a few years ago," said daughter Peggy Hoerth. "He never talked about the war at all."

Leary's wife of 44 years, Pat, secretly wrote to the Navy.

"I've been sneaking around, getting papers out of the house and making arrangements whenever he was out," she said. "It made me a nervous wreck."

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"I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. . . . . .
They've experienced pain and bought jewelry."