Editor’s Note: The City of Framingham awarded 17 Medals of Liberty to Gold Star Families on Memorial Day. As fallen veterans should not be honored only on Memorial Day, SOURCE is running the profiles on all 17 throughout over the next several weeks.
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FRAMINGHAM – The Massachusetts Medal of Liberty is awarded to Massachusetts service men and women, who have been killed in action or who died as a result of wounds received in action. It is bequeathed on behalf of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth.
The medal, designed by Sgt. Kristopher W. Adams, 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 centre of the medal bears a Gold Star symbolizing Gold Star Mothers Club. At the top centre of the medal is the coat of arms of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and on the rear side is the recipient’s branch of service and name with the words “In Honored Memory” engraved above and “Service and Sacrifice” below.
On Memorial Day 2022, the City of Framingham awarded 17 Medals of Liberty.
One of the 17 was presented to Staff Sergeant Charles Brown.
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Brown resided in Framingham on Arthur Street when he was drafted into the United States Army Air Force. Staff Sergeant Brown was a radio operator and a gunner for the 8th Air Force, 390th Bomber Group, Heavy, 569th Bomber Squadron on the B-17 Flying Fortress “Pulsatin Polly”.
On October 8, 1943, while returning from a raid on Bremen, the Flying Fortress was seen with it’s number 4 engine burning and spiraled down to the ground circled by enemy fighters. No chutes were observed.
Staff Sergeant Brown gave the ultimate sacrifice on October 8, 1943 and was declared killed in action on December 29, 1944.
Accepting the Medal on behalf of Staff Sergeant Charles Brown was his nephew, David Brown, from Lakewood, Massachusetts.
The medal was pinned on Bent by former City Council Chair Dennis Giombetti, who is an aide to Senate President Karen Spilka.
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Petroni Media Company photos for SOURCE
J And Company 
Representative Jack Lewis 
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