Medal of Liberty

Saugus Medal of Honor recipient DeFranzo among 11 veterans honored by the National Guard posthumously

By Janice Jarosz

Saugus Medal of Honor recipient US Army SSG Arthur F. DeFranzo was among 11 veterans who were honored with the Massachusetts Medal of Liberty posthumously last Saturday during a special ceremony hosted by the Massachusetts National Guard in Milford. SSG DeFranzo’s nephew, Arthur DeFranzo, accepted the Medal for the family. He was among a large contingent from Saugus that made the trip for the presentation.

The Massachusetts Medal of Liberty is awarded to the next of kin of Massachusetts servicemen and women who have been killed in action, who died as a result of wounds received in action or who died as a result of a training accident in the line of duty. It is bequeathed on behalf of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as Commander-in-Chief of the

Commonwealth.

The medal is heart-shaped to symbolize the Purple Heart and is attached to a 1 3/8-inch-wide ribbon with a black border representing mourning. The center of the medal bears a gold star symbolizing the Gold Star Mothers Club. At the top center of the medal is the coat of arms and on the rear side is the servicemember’s branch of service with a blank space to have the

honored servicemember’s name engraved by the recipient and the words, “In Honored Memory” engraved above and “Service and Sacrifice” below. The medal was designed by Kristopher W. Adams.

SSG. DeFranzo was a Saugus hero who sacrificed his life to save the lives of his fellow soldiers in World War II. He was the first Saugus man killed during the D-Day Invasion on June 10, 1944. He is the town’s lone Medal of Honor recipient.