Real American: Alex Horanzy, 92, a Pearl Harbor survivor, was named the 2015 Dickies American Hero of the Year. SOURCE: PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
A Holme Circle resident and Pearl Harbor survivor has been chosen as the 2015 Dickies American Hero of the Year.
Alex Horanzy, 92, enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17 years old and was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Imperial Japanese carried out a brutal surprise attack that thrust the United States into World War II.
The bombing of Pearl Harbor, where the U.S. Navy had positioned its Pacific Fleet, cost the lives of 2,402 American service members and as many as 68 civilians. Horanzy survived the attack and the ensuing four years of war, serving in Australia and New Guinea, where he contracted malaria and was eventually discharged honorably.
In later life, Horanzy helped found the Philadelphia chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and he continues to speak publicly about his experiences on that fateful and historic day. He is the last living member of his Pearl Harbor Survivors Association chapter.
Horanzy’s neighbor and a board member of the Holme Circle Civic Association, Elsie Stevens, nominated Horanzy for the Dickies Award, stating, “Alex is a present hero who also represents a historic past. The bombing of Pearl Harbor may live in infamy for the rest of us, but for Alex it also lives in memory.”
“I feel very lucky for the opportunities I’ve had to serve my country and am happy to share this award with all those who served during WWII, especially those who fought at Pearl Harbor,” Horanzy said.
Horanzy was one of five honorees in the Dickies American Hero of the Year program. Runners-up were Richard Kuhlman of Medford, Oregon; Daniel Fox of Wichita, Kansas; Roger Powell of Philadelphia; and Carlos Carpio of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Hero of the Year awards are presented annually to honor those who have courageously served in the U.S. Armed Forces and who portray the qualities that exemplify an American hero. ••
