Senate Resolution No. 5938

BY: Senator MARCHIONE

COMMENDING Gerald Bradford Card posthumously upon
the occasion of his designation as recipient of a
Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an
individual by the New York State Senate

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to
recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made
significant contributions to the quality of life therein; and

WHEREAS, Members of the Armed Services from the State of New York,
who have served so valiantly and honorably in wars in which this
country's freedom was at stake, as well as in the preservation of peace
in peacetime, deserve a special salute from this Legislative Body; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Gerald
Bradford Card posthumously upon the occasion of his designation as
recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an
individual by the New York State Senate; and

WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Liberty Medal was established by
Resolution and is awarded to individuals who have merited special
commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts on behalf of
their fellow New Yorkers; and

WHEREAS, Gerald Bradford Card was born on June 5, 1923, in Philmont,
New York, to Willis and Hazel (Barringer) Card; he attended Philmont
Union Free Elementary and high school before working locally as a heavy
truck driver; and

WHEREAS, Gerald Bradford Card entered the United States Army on
January 20, 1943, in Albany, New York; after basic training, he was then
trained as a light truck driver and, on March 31, 1944, he deployed for
the European Theater of Operations; and

WHEREAS, Assigned to Patton's 3rd Army with the 731st Field
Artillery Battalion, Tech 5 Sergeant Gerald Bradford Card saw action in
Normandy, Northern France, the Ardennes, Central Europe, and the
Rhineland; and

WHEREAS, As a member of Patton's 3rd Army, Tech 5 Sergeant Gerald
Bradford Card entered Europe in July of 1944, and fought across France
in the Battle of the Bulge; he and his fellow soldiers also secured a
bridgehead over the Rhine and liberated the Mauthausen-Gusen
concentration camps; the 3rd Army was engaged for 281 days, liberated
82,000 square miles of territory, 1,500 cities and towns, captured
956,000 enemies and killed or wounded 500,000 others; and

WHEREAS, After serving until the end of the war, Tech 5 Sergeant
Gerald Bradford Card was honorably discharged at Fort Dix, New Jersey,
on October 31, 1945; and

WHEREAS, For his courageous military service, Tech 5 Sergeant Gerald
Bradford Card was awarded the Bronze Star, European-African-Middle

Eastern Service Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Good Conduct Medal;
and

WHEREAS, Upon his return home, Gerald Bradford Card married Betty
Ann French; together, they had two devoted daughters, Linda and
Geraldine, and four loving grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Gerald Bradford Card had several jobs including milkman for
Van's Dairy in Hudson; he was also employed for 25 years at Warp Knit
Mill in Mellenville, and later at Charter Supply in Philmont where he
retired after 15 years of service; and

WHEREAS, Gerald Bradford Card remained active in his community and
was a member of the Philmont American Legion Minkler-Seery Post 252, a
congregant at the Philmont United Methodist Church where he sang in the
choir, and a 50 year member of the Mellenville Volunteer Fire
Department; furthermore, he was a member of the Hudson Chapter of the
SPEBSQSA Barber Shop Singers, the Highlanders Barbershop Quartet, the
Community Choir, and the Claverack Senior Citizens; and

WHEREAS, Predeceased by his wife, Gerald Bradford Card died on
January 24, 2004, in Philmont and is buried in the Mellenville Union
Cemetery; he was 80 years old; and

WHEREAS, Having exhibited his patriotism both at home and abroad,
Gerald Bradford Card demonstrated his love for his country and merits
forevermore the highest respect of his State and Nation; and

WHEREAS, Our Nation's veterans deserve to be recognized, commended
and thanked by the people of the State of New York for their service and
for their dedication to their communities, their State and their Nation;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Gerald Bradford Card posthumously upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed
upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Gerald Bradford Card.