Council to Honor Medal of Honor Recipient Col. 'Barney' Barnum at Navy League Dinner

PHILADELPHIA, June 4 /PRNewswire/ --

Colonel Barnum will be honored with the Commodore Barry Distinguished Citizen Service Award.  Previous honorees include General Anthony Zinni USMC (Ret), Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter, local philanthropist Ralph Hooper and  RADM Wayne E. Meyer.  Distinguished members of the Navy, USMC, USCG will attend.  

The Commodore Barry Award is presented to a non-active duty person(s) whose character, distinguished military or civilian service and stature draw wholesome comparison to the qualities for which the Philadelphia Council of the Navy League strives.

Honorees have provided a lifetime of service to the United States or our armed forces and have thereby made significant and distinguished contributions to our nation. The Barry Award statue was custom designed for the NL Philadelphia Council.  

Navy League of Philadelphia (www.navyleaguephilly.org) supports members of the sea services  including Navy, USMC, US Coast Guard and Merchant Marines and their families as well as the region's NROTC, MCROTC, Sea Cadets and other programs..

Colonel Harvey H.C. "Barney" Barnum, Jr. USMC (Ret)

Colonel Harvey C. "Barney" Barnum, Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps officer who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the Vietnam War. He was the fourth Marine to receive the medal for valor in Vietnam. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1989 after more than 27 years of service. Barnum served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs from 2001 to 2008 and as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy until his retirement in March 2009.

Colonel Barnum dedicated his life to the Corps.  He retired in 1989 after more than 27 years of service to his country.

During his distinguished career, he served two combat tours in Vietnam, the second after he had already been awarded the Medal of Honor.  Two weeks into his first tour of combat duty, on December 18, 1965, (then) Lieutenant Barney Barnum proved his courage and leadership abilities in a moment of great crisis, becoming the fourth US Marine of the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor.

After retirement, he also served as the Principal Director, Drug Enforcement Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense before accepting a position as Corporate and Community Affairs Advisor for ARLTEC, Inc.  Active in Veteran programs, he is a popular and inspiring speaker and public servant.

Gen. Mattis

Gen. Mattis serves as commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM), located in Norfolk, VA. The command focuses on supporting current operations while shaping U.S. forces for the future.

Gen. Mattis has commanded at multiple levels. As a lieutenant, he served as a rifle and weapons platoon commander in the 3rd Marine Division. As a captain, he commanded a rifle company and a weapons company in the 1st Marine Brigade.  As a major, he commanded Recruiting Station Portland. As a lieutenant colonel, he commanded 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, one of Task Force Ripper's assault battalions in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As a colonel, he commanded 7th Marines (Reinforced).

Upon becoming a brigadier general, he commanded first the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade and then Task Force 58, during Operation Enduring Freedom in southern Afghanistan. As a major general, he commanded the 1st Marine Division during the initial attack and subsequent stability operations in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In his first tour as a lieutenant general, he commanded the Marine Corps Combat Development Command and served as the deputy commandant for combat development. Most recently, he commanded the I Marine Expeditionary Force and served as the commander of U.S. Marine Forces Central Command. From 2007-09, he served as both NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation and commander, USJFCOM.

Gen. Mattis, a native of the Pacific Northwest, graduated from Central Washington State University in 1972. He is also a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the National War College.

SOURCE The Philadelphia Council of the Navy League