Wisconsin news

Aug. 28, 2023

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers helps dedicate New Richmond Post Office facility in honor of Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson

New Richmond Post Office facility dedication
l-r, New Richmond Postmaster Jennifer Hauck, Scott Peirson, Governor Tony Evers, Bob Peirson, Jim Peirson, John Peirson, New Richmond Mayor Jake Woodford, and Manager Post Office Operations Bradley Koenig.

New Richmond, WI – The Postal Service held a dedication ceremony at the New Richmond Post Office on August 25, 2023, in honor of World War II Purple Heart Awardees and brothers Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson.

Captain Robert Harmon, member of the 558th Army Air Corp Squadron, was a B-26 bomber pilot stationed in Britain during WWII. A week before the D-Day invasion of the Normandy coast, and on his 51st mission, Harmon’s plane was shot down over occupied France by German artillery.  First listed as missing-in-action, Harmon was declared officially dead-on May 29, 1945, by the U.S. War Department. In recognition of his valor, Captain Harmon earned 11 oak leaf clusters and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. 

Private John Peirson, motivated by a sense of duty to his country and the loss of his older half-brother, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944 and participated in the liberation of the Philippines before his tragic death in 1945. Private Peirson, a member of the 77th Infantry Division was mortally wounded during the April 16, 1945, Easter Day assault on the island of Okinawa, Japan, and died of his wounds the following day. Private Peirson, the 24-year-old father of two young sons, was posthumously award the Purple Heart.

Speakers for the Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson Post Office Renaming Event included Jim Peirson, Governor Tony Evers, New Richmond Mayor Jake Woodford, New Richmond Postmaster Jennifer Hauck, and Manager Post Office Operations Bradley Koenig.

“By renaming the New Richmond Post Office to the Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson Post Office, we pay tribute to them and to all our service men and women who make significant contributions and sacrifices for our country,” said Manager Post Office Operations Bradley Koenig. “We should always remember their sacrifices - made in defense of America - and to protect the freedoms that we enjoy every day.”

On October 05, 2021, Senator Tammy Baldwin introduced Senate Bill 2932. Unanimous support from a state’s congressional delegation is needed for the movement of naming bills to the floor of the House and Senate and is then signed by the President of the United States to become law.

The Postal Service worked with the office of Senator Tammy Baldwin to host the event.

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The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America, to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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