52 YEARS LATER, WWII VET AGLOW OVER MEDAL.

Byline: Theo Douglas Knight-Ridder Newspapers

World War II brought out qualities Americans didn't know they had.

Downey appliance repairman Neil Miles enlisted in the Army, and as Master Sgt. Miles, directed six men as they built a laundry and a refrigerated warehouse to feed and clothe 20,000 troops based in Adak, Alaska.

For his successful work in subzero Aleutian Islands storms, with only basic military training and experience fixing stoves, Miles received an Army Commendation Medal at his home Wednesday 52 years late.

``The Army as an institution recognizes that in the past it has made mistakes,'' said Maj. Gen. Robert Lame, as he presented Miles' medal before an audience of more than 20, including Miles' wife, Iva, Downey Mayor Joyce Lawrence, U.S. Rep. Steve Horn, R-Long Beach, and seven members of South Gate American Legion Post 335, where Miles is a 50-year member.

``It's certainly wonderful, and it's just such a great thrill to get it,'' Miles said, as he thanked everyone for coming.

``We seem to be getting two to three a year now,'' said Maj. Ron Bagley, who like Lame is based at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Reserve. ``They're just World War II awards that with all the thousands in the service, slipped through the cracks.''

Now 82, Miles lived in a tent for almost two years and after the war was recommended for the Legion of Merit medal. Amid other worthy vets, his accomplishments got lost in the shuffle.

``We were construction engineers,'' he said quietly. ``I had charge of building 10 refrigeration warehouses, and also I had charge of putting boilers in a 20,000-man laundry.'' His service came to light when his daughter, Janalee Garn, of Falcon, Colo., remembered her father had been up for a medal and decided to pursue it as a tribute to him. She contacted her congressman, and he got in touch with the military.

``I sent a letter saying I felt like my dad should be able to get the Legion of Merit because that's what he was originally recommended for,'' Garn said from Colorado. ``But we were really thrilled that this could happen.'' Due to a work conflict, she was unable to attend.

Miles' sister, June Swenson, drove in from Garden Grove to attend the event.

``I didn't know about it until last week,'' Swenson said. ``He worked for Gaffers & Sattler, and that's where he got the experience.'' His wife, Ida, saved his checks so when he came home he could open his own appliance store. ``I went into the retail appliance business in South Gate for 38 years, at Miles Appliance,'' Miles said.

His shop has been torn down, and Miles is battling colon cancer. But for remembrance he has two neat, black-and-white photo albums and now, a medal that U.S. Army officials ranked the third-highest military honor, with the nation's highest being the Medal of Honor.

``I wanted to enlist where I could do the most good,'' Miles said about his years in Company F, 349th Engineer Regiment. ``They were figuring on making a permanent base out of it. I'd like to go back and check it out.''