Two Dubuque veterans received their military medals from a politically connected fellow veteran on Friday morning at the American Legion Post 6 headquarters.

U. S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, a member of Cumming, Iowa, American Legion Post 562, presented the medals to Bill Kluesner, who served in the U. S. Navy from 1970 to 1974, and Tom Linden, an Air Force vet. The recognition was part of Harkin's "Building Iowa's Future" tour, which included a busy morning and early afternoon in Dubuque.

Kluesner made an inquiry with the Navy and the National Personnel Record Center after he had lost his medals; Linden's granddaughter, Heidi, sought information from the Air Force.

"The motto is, better late than never," Harkin said to smiles and applause.

Linda Lucy, of Harkin's Dubuque office, helped facilitate the requests.

"It was quite an experience," said Linden of his stint from April 1952 to October 1956. "I'm proud of my service. I enjoyed my 4 1/2 years. ... Thanks everybody."

When Linden was based at Truax

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Field near Madison, Wis., he was named "Airman of the Year" and achieved the rank of staff sergeant.

Kluesner served aboard the U.S.S. Cacapon (AO 52), a fleet oiler in both Vietnam and Korean waters.

"I don't have much to say," he said. "After 35 years and some, I didn't know if I would see them (medals). I really appreciate it."

Harkin, who served in the Navy as a jet pilot on active duty from 1962 to 1967, cited the significance of the medals.

"It is important for the kids, the grandkids, the great grandkids to have these heirlooms, these medals and to keep them," he said. "We live in a dangerous world, and at some point they're going to say, 'What was that all about?' Then the stories will be handed down about what their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents did to secure their freedoms and hopefully, the next three or four generations -- if they are called upon to defend their country -- they will remember what their ancestors did, and say, 'Now it's my turn to defend my country.'"

Before presenting the medals, Harkin spoke of America's involvement in Afghanistan and saluted Iowans serving there.

"We have a national security interest in that area," he said. "There are a lot of countries around Afghanistan. Many of them have an interest in not having the Taliban come back.

"One of those is Iran. They don't like the Taliban. They have this huge border with Afghanistan. It's one of those things, like it or not, we may have to work with Iran in the near future ..."

And the senator presented Cadet Col. Elizabeth Spoerl with a Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, which is the Civil Air Patrol's highest cadet award. It is presented to cadets who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, character, fitness and aerospace education.