Army captain receives Purple Heart
By April Amadon
It’s the kind of phone call a parent never wants to get.
When the phone rang at William and Teresa Perry’s Gasport home in late April, their son, Army Capt. Ian Perry, on the other end. Ian was calling from his hospital bed with some grim news. Ian, on his second tour of duty in Iraq, had been seriously wounded during a rocket attack on his forward operating base. The blast severed an artery and cut into a nerve bundle in his right arm and left him without the use of one of his eyes.The injuries were severe enough that Army chaplains had given Ian his last rites. Fortunately, he recovered enough to make the phone call to his parents.“(He said) he had a bad day,” William recalled.
Ian — attached to the 10th Mountain Division, Second Brigade, 1/15 Field Artillery, based at Fort Drum — has received treatment and rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.Ian was awarded the Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars at a ceremony Oct. 26.
“We’re very, very proud of him,” Teresa said, though both Ian’s parents said the pride they feel pales in comparison with the relief they feel at having him back safe.“No matter what the injuries were, we were just so happy that he was going to be alive,” Teresa said.“We’re really relieved he’s OK,” William said. “Walter Reed has done miracles.”
Through physical therapy, Ian has regained some use of his arm, and he’s being treated for the injury to his eye.Teresa said the ordeal has brought the family closer together. Ian, a 1998 graduate of Royalton-Hartland High School, is the grandson of Vivian Pietroboni of Middleport and Joseph Perry of Barker, and his brother, Jeremiah, lives in Tucson, Ariz.
The army flew in Ian’s wife, Gilda, of Beni, Bolivia, to be by his side. He’s currently living at Mologne House at WRAMC as an outpatient.
Teresa said the family has received a lot of encouragement from the community.“He gets letters from people across the country praying for him,” Teresa said. “There’s a lot of support here for the families and the soldiers.”
By April Amadon
It’s the kind of phone call a parent never wants to get.
When the phone rang at William and Teresa Perry’s Gasport home in late April, their son, Army Capt. Ian Perry, on the other end. Ian was calling from his hospital bed with some grim news. Ian, on his second tour of duty in Iraq, had been seriously wounded during a rocket attack on his forward operating base. The blast severed an artery and cut into a nerve bundle in his right arm and left him without the use of one of his eyes.The injuries were severe enough that Army chaplains had given Ian his last rites. Fortunately, he recovered enough to make the phone call to his parents.“(He said) he had a bad day,” William recalled.
Ian — attached to the 10th Mountain Division, Second Brigade, 1/15 Field Artillery, based at Fort Drum — has received treatment and rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.Ian was awarded the Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars at a ceremony Oct. 26.
“We’re very, very proud of him,” Teresa said, though both Ian’s parents said the pride they feel pales in comparison with the relief they feel at having him back safe.“No matter what the injuries were, we were just so happy that he was going to be alive,” Teresa said.“We’re really relieved he’s OK,” William said. “Walter Reed has done miracles.”
Through physical therapy, Ian has regained some use of his arm, and he’s being treated for the injury to his eye.Teresa said the ordeal has brought the family closer together. Ian, a 1998 graduate of Royalton-Hartland High School, is the grandson of Vivian Pietroboni of Middleport and Joseph Perry of Barker, and his brother, Jeremiah, lives in Tucson, Ariz.
The army flew in Ian’s wife, Gilda, of Beni, Bolivia, to be by his side. He’s currently living at Mologne House at WRAMC as an outpatient.
Teresa said the family has received a lot of encouragement from the community.“He gets letters from people across the country praying for him,” Teresa said. “There’s a lot of support here for the families and the soldiers.”
