EAST MOLINE -- It has been nearly 70 years since the late Pfc. Theodore Bruch was discharged from the U.S. Army. Only recently, however, were his awards presented to his family.

Pfc. Bruch enlisted at the age of 18 and served with the 1265th Engineer Battalion in the European theater during World War II. It was a period of his life that was not discussed much, if at all, with his family, mostly because Pfc. Bruch was a modest man and kept his wartime service to himself.

Upon his death in July 2011, Mr. Bruch's daughter, Elizabeth Dreier, of East Moline, became curious about her father's military service and the awards he had earned. She then contacted the office of U.S. Rep. Bobby Schilling, R-Colona, and asked what could be done to help her recover her father's military awards -- awards which she had no idea even existed.

Ms. Dreier was then put in contact with Ken Moffett, from Rep. Shilling's office, and together they were able to re-create the awards earned by Pfc. Bruch.

Rep. Schilling and Maj. Gen. Mark MacCarley, First Army Deputy Commanding General for Support, recently presented Pfc. Bruch's awards to Ms. Dreier, in recognition of her father's wartime service.

The ceremony was held in the council room of East Moline City Hall. Following remarks by Maj. Gen. MacCarley and Rep. Schilling, Ms. Dreier was presented her father's Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp, a WWII Honorable Service lapel button and the

Marksman Badge with rifle bar.