Robert Gast received the 2011 Order Of Kosciuszko award during Friday’s Veterans Day ceremony at Center Lake Pavilion.
The purpose of the award is to annually recognize a Kosciusko County resident who is a veteran and has given exceptional service to God, country and others in the spirit of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Revolutionary War hero.
The qualifications are to be an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Armed Forces.
The recipient also must be a resident of Kosciusko County for no less than five years.
They must be an exceptional volunteer or provided public service to others in Kosciusko County.
Gast served in World War II in the fourth infantry division.
He was sent to Normandy one month after D-Day. The 4th infantry was the first U.S. troops to enter Paris.
After three days the 4th and the 12th infantries were sent to help the 28th who were suffering badly in the Huertgen Forest.
He lost his whole platoon after 14 days in the forest. While at Huertgen, he received word to gather as many men as possible and go help two companies that were surrounded by Germans.
He found 50 men and they went in to rescue, only to be trapped themselves.
They attempted to leave facing the Germans. He was injured during this charge. He was sent to a series of hospitals, the last being in England. There he received the Purple Heart.
He was discharged on Jan. 30, 1945. He rejoined the 4th infantry, but with the 3rd division this time. He went to North Carolina to train for the Pacific.
However, the war ended before he went there. At the end of the war he had the rank of first lieutenant, a Purple Heart and a Silver Star.
He returned home to run a business, raise a family and serve his community.
As a Boy Scout he attend the first National Scout Jamboree in Washington, D.C., where they camped on the mall with their Scoutmaster, Freeland Phillips.
Gast is an active member of Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church where he has served in many capacities.
He was a city councilman for many years.
He has volunteered for The Salvation Army for many events alongside his wife, Marge, to help with the events of the Women's Auxiliary such as the annual nut sale and Angel Tree program to name a few.
He helped to form the Mobile Meals program in Warsaw in the 1970s and has delivered countless meals to shut-ins for more than 35 years.
He is a past president of the Warsaw Rotary Club, who recommended him for this award.
