CHICAGO — Six and a half decades ago, a young man from Chicago witnessed the horror of the Vietnam War. He earned two Purple Hearts and on Thursday, his family, including his son-in-law WGN’s Patrick Elwood, along with the White Sox, honored him for his service.

At just 18, Chicago born and raised Frank Sawaski, found himself in combat boots in a battle just outside of Saigon.

Zawaski earned a Purple Heart that day before returning to the fields in Vietnam where his platoon found themselves in the middle of a VC basecamp, where he would earn a second.

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Zawaski returned to Chicago where he married Joanell, his wife now of 54 years. Together they raised three daughters.

The tight knit family wanted to see Gramps get the honor they felt he deserved. So when they heard the White Sox honor veterans during home games, they put his name in.

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