There was no fooling around Saturday as the Foster clan gathered for lunch at the American Table Restaurant.

World War II and Korean War Army veteran Steven Paege, of Warsaw, was presented with nine military medals he earned more than 60 years ago. Paege's great-nephew, Jason Foster, a Purdue University student, pursued the medals for the man he calls "grandpa."

Foster contacted Congressman Mark Souder about receiving the medals. Souder's assistant, Allison McSherry, from the Winona Lake office, followed up with the requests.

"They even brought tears in my eyes," Paege, 87, said. "I never dreamt I'd ever see the medals, I never did. Like a lot of other World War II vets, it took 60 years to get them, and a lot never got them because they died."

Paege enlisted in the Army in May 1942. He was an infantryman during the Battle of the Bulge and was part of the Army of Occupation. After attending ordinance school, he returned to Germany in 1945 and guarded German prisoners. He intended to make a career out of military service.

"Then Truman sent me to Korea for 16 months," he said. "When I got back from Korea, that was it."

He left the Army in July 1952.

Ten months later he married Mirriam Foster and soon became known as grandpa.

"His wife is my dad's sister," said Rick Foster, Jason's dad, "but we've always called him grandpa."

Souder's office put the request for the military service medals on a fast track.

"They said it would take six months," Jason said, "but we got them in three months and had them put in a display case."

Paege's medals and ribbons include a Good Conduct medal, a World War II Victory medal; an Army of Occupation medal and Germany clasp; a National Defense Service Medal; a Korean Service Medal with four bronze stars; a United Nations Service Medal; an Honorable Service Lapel button - WWII; an expert badge and carbine bar and a marksman badge and rifle bar. [[In-content Ad]]