Pa. National Guard Airmen receive Catto Medal

Photo By Jonathan Dahms | The Maj. Octavius V. Catto statue in Philadelphia is adorned with wreaths Oct. 1, 2022. Catto was a Civil War-era Pennsylvania militia officer who was killed in Philadelphia in 1871 while on duty defending African-Americans at polling places from those who opposed their right to vote. An annual award in his name is given to Pennsylvania National Guard members who distinguish themselves as leaders through community support and public service. (Pennsylvania National Guard photo by Jonathan Dahms)  

PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES

10.04.2022

Story by Brad Rhen 

Joint Force Headquarters - Pennsylvania National Guard

PHILADELPHIA – Two Pennsylvania National Guard Airmen and a retired Airman received the prestigious Maj. Octavius V. Catto Medal during a ceremony Oct. 1 at the Union League of Philadelphia.

This year’s recipients are 2nd Lt. Jaelin Smith of the 111th Attack Wing, Senior Master Sgt. Richard Fanning Jr. of the 193rd Special Operations Wing and Master Sgt. (Retired) Deborah Krall, formerly of the 171st Air Refueling Wing.

The Catto Medal recognizes members of the Pennsylvania National Guard who distinguish themselves as leaders through community support and public service.

“By issuing the Catto Medal to Soldiers and Airmen who follow Catto’s example of excellent military and community service, we are doing our part to keep his memory alive,” said Col. Deane Thomey, commander of the 111th Attack Wing, who spoke at the ceremony. “The guard members to whom we award the Catto Medal are proof that the civic leadership and selfless service he demonstrated are as alive as ever.”

Smith, 28, is a pilot in training with the 111th Attack Wing. She is a prior enlisted cyber systems specialist and has been in the military for 5 years.

"My 'why' often gets lost in the daily hassles,” Smith said of her military service. “Sometimes the reminder comes from outside of myself as a stark reminder of my duty to serve. No matter the discipline, arena or phase of life there is a necessary devotion in the decisions that I make. This award is merely a reflection of those past and currently evolving moments."

A native of Harrisburg, Pa., Smith currently resides in Philadelphia.

Fanning, 49, is a flight chief with the 193rd Special Operations Wing. He has been in the military for 30 years.

Fanning said he grew up learning what it takes to be a volunteer by watching his parents, who were an EMT and a paramedic with the Hershey Volunteer Fire Department and Harrisburg River Rescue.

“I saw them react at the drop of a hat to calls on a scanner for someone in need,” he said. “When I reached the age of 14, I joined the Hummelstown Volunteer Fire Department and learned firsthand what it was like to see people in need of help and after we arrived, the ease we put people in after we corrected the problem. As a volunteer my biggest reward I have ever received was to have people come up to me and say, ‘Thank you for helping me.’
"Like Major Octavius Catto, he stepped up to help others in need without asking ‘What's in it for me?’" Fanning added. "I hope to continue to uphold these values and pass them onto my own son and daughter.”

Fanning is a native of Hummelstown, Pa., where he currently resides.

Krall, 65, was a chaplain assistant and a civilian employee with the 171st Air Refueling Wing before retiring earlier this year after 33 years of service.

“As I looked up this award, as I had never heard of it, I was overwhelmed and humbled,” she said. “I was deployed in spring of 1995 to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Chief of Chaplains asked that I make a difference in someone’s life every day. He went on to explain that it could be as small as a smile or a ‘hello.’ I have never forgotten that order and strive to fulfill it daily. The award means I have succeeded.”

Krall is a native of Youngwood, Pa., where she currently resides.

Catto was a Civil War-era Pennsylvania militia officer who was killed in Philadelphia in 1871 while on duty defending African-Americans at polling places from those who opposed their right to vote. He was a professor at the Institute for Colored Youth, now Cheyney University, and a community leader who led desegregation efforts in Philadelphia in the 1860s.

The Catto medal was originally created in the 1880s, but there are no records that show it was ever awarded before it disappeared. It was approved for re-introduction into the commonwealth's military decorations system in December 2011 and first awarded in 2012.

• Date Taken: 10.04.2022
• Date Posted: 10.04.2022 09:39
• Story ID: 430668
• Location: PHILADELPHIA, PA, US
• Hometown: HUMMELSTOWN, PA, US
• Hometown: YOUNGWOOD, PA, US