BY TODD MAISEL
Osceala “Ossie” Fletcher’s
blood ran red like the rest of
the American casualties on the
beaches of Normandy nearly
80 years ago — but the color
of his skin led to the denial of
what others who survived that
hellish D-Day battle received: a
Purple Heart.
The World War II hero from
Crown Heights, at age 99, fi nally
received his Purple Heart at a
special ceremony at Fort Hamilton
Army Base in Bay Ridge
on June 18 — a day before the
fi rst federally-recognized “Juneteenth”
national holiday that
ended slavery of African Americans
after the Civil War.
Fletcher attended the ceremony
with his wife Pauline, his
daughter Jacqueline Streets,
a dozen family members and
one great grandson. The wheelchair
bound Army veteran, a
crane operator in the 254th Port
Battalion, was wounded three
times, most notably during a
German rocket attack that left
a scar on his head and a gash in
his leg.
Despite his inability to walk
on his own, the nearly 100-yearold
veteran insisted on standing
during the National Anthem,
assisted by Police Offi cer
Ming Yu, a Marine veteran and
current member of the NYPD
Harbor Unit.
Fletcher had also served a
sergeant in the NYPD in his
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3700 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
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beachclub@sgany.org
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COURIER L 14 IFE, JUNE 25-JULY 1, 2021
post-war years before retiring
and then becoming a social
studies teacher in New York
City public schools. He also
served as a community relations
offi cer in the Brooklyn
District Attorney’s offi ce.
The former private fi rst
class collected his medal from
US Army Chief of Staff General
James McConville during
the emotional ceremony at the
historic Fort Hamilton Community
Club. He was joined by
Secretary of the Army Steve
Castleton, Brigadier General
Thomas Tichner, and NYPD
Commissioner Dermot Shea.
“Ossie has spent his entire
life giving to those around him,
and well, today is Ossie’s turn
to receive and today we are
giving him,” McConville said
during the tearful ceremony.
“Now, we are delivering something
that he’s been entitled to
for over 77 years … Today, we
pay long overdue tribute for the
sacrifi ces he made to our nation
and for free people everywhere.
Now let’s get you the Purple
Heart you are due.”
The general then knelt down
next to Fletcher and pinned the
Purple Heart on him next to
three other medals he wore for
his military services.
Fletcher’s daughter, Jacqueline
Streets, said she and her
family sought the records of his
injuries for years, fi nding out
at one point, that those records
had been destroyed in a fi re in
1973.
“We’re fi nally looking at
all of our soldiers in the same
way, America is trying to shift
its thinking about culture and
about race and I appreciate
that,” Streets said.
“It’s about time,” said
Fletcher. “You will remember
the Fletcher name now.”
Fletcher from his days in the Army.
Fort Hamilton Army Base
Osceola “Ossie” Fletcher (right) gets a long-overdue Purple Heart at a
Fort Hamilton Army Base for being injured at Normandy, which he never
recived due to discrimination. Photo by Todd Maisel
99-year-old WWII vet
gets his Purple Heart
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