Mayor Barlow Announces William C. Patterson Named 2023 Veteran of the Year

OSWEGO – Mayor Billy Barlow announced today the Oswego City Veteran’s Council has named William C. Patterson the 2023 City of Oswego Veteran of the Year. William “Billy” Patterson enlisted in the Army in November of 1964, served one year in Korea before going to his base camp in Lai Kye, Vietnam. While serving in the 1^st Infantry Division in Vietnam, Sergeant Patterson, at twenty years of age, was awarded two purple hearts and the bronze star with “V” device for heroic action in Vietnam. He received the award for bravery, leadership, and devotion to duty when he took command and led his men to defeat army forces after his platoon leader was seriously injured. The official citation states:

“…Sergeant Patterson was participating in a search and destroy mission when his company was subjected to an intense volume of hostile small arms and automatic weapon fire from a numerically superior Viet Cong force. During the initial barrage of fire, the platoon leader was seriously wounded, and Sergeant Patterson took command. He immediately deployed his men into a defensive perimeter and directed their fire with devastating accuracy onto the Vietcong positions. With complete disregard for personal safety, Patterson moved from position to position encouraging his men to fight with renewed vigor and ensuring they were supplied with sufficient ammunition to ward off Viet Cong assaults. His unit quickly gained fire superiority and forced the insurgents to retreat in complete disorder. Ignoring sporadic sniper fire, Sergeant Patterson then conducted a sweep of the area searching for causalities and insurgent supplies. Patterson demonstrated bold initiative and undaunted courage and significantly contributed to the defeat of the Vietcong force.”

After returning home, he worked for many decades with the Laborers Local 633, spending years at the Oswego County Nuclear facilities. In addition, he currently serves on the Council at the Oswego VFW Post #5885 where he is an active life member. Billy Patterson had three children, Lisa, Floyd, and Wayne and is Mayor Billy Barlow’s grandfather.

 George Hoffman, President of the Oswego City Veterans Council, congratulated Patterson on his nomination and subsequent recognition. Mayor Barlow said, “my grandfather’s awards, credentials, and reputation throughout the Oswego community speak for themselves as his heroic actions in battle at such a young age have been well documented. Like most Veterans, he does not seek attention or recognition and rarely speaks of his day in the service, but this recognition is well-deserved, and his community is enormously proud of his actions and contributions to the United States of America, his brothers in battle, and his community.”

The public is invited to attend the annual Veteran of the Year ceremony honoring Patterson and other Veterans on Saturday, October 28^th at the Oswego VFW located at 14 Bronson Street, Oswego. Cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m. with a prime rib dinner served at 7 p.m. with a speaking program featuring Mayor Barlow, Mr. Patterson, and other guests. For those planning to attend, please RSVP to the Oswego VFW at 315-343-1786.

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