On November 10, 2013, the U.S. Army Colonel Michael Bochna formally presented the Bronze Star to former Army Private First Class Andy Bergner at ceremonies held at Middleburg's American Legion Post 295.

Bergner, now 87, was recognized for his service with the Third Army in Europe in 1945. Drafted in September, 1944, just after the Allies had broken out of the Normandy peninsula, Bergner was rushed through basic training in Arkansas and shipped out almost immediately. He had just finished high school.

Bergner landed in France in February, 1945, and was sent almost immediately to the front, one of thousands of replacements for soldiers lost in the repulse of a German surprise attack now known the Battle of the Bulge. He was actively engaged in combat against the German Army until the war in Europe ended in May, 1945.

He continued to serve until July, 1946, when he came home, went to Villanova on the GI Bill, wed the late Audrey Bergner and over the course of a 65 year marriage, raised a family of five children.

According to his daughter, Laurie Maggiano, Bergner, like many soldiers never talked much about the war.

Happily for his family, friends and history, however, he wrote about it while serving: 270 letters, now published under the title Just Call Me Soldier Boy.

In remarks at her father's medal presentation ceremonies Ms. Maggiano read one of those letters, written to a friend, Mary Jane Waterman. It summed up, Maggiano said, "... all that is good about my Dad and our nation."