Salinas World War II Veteran honored with Congressional Gold Medal

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Congressman Jimmy Panetta presented, 94-year-old, Private First Class Julio Sorio with a Congressional Gold Medal, Saturday.

The Congressional Gold Medal is U.S. Congress' highest civilian honor.

Private Sorio was one of the 260,000 Filipino-American soldiers to respond to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's call-to-duty in World War II.

Later in life, Private Sorio worked for the U.S. Army and U.S. Postal Service.

Private Sorio has lived in Salinas since coming to the United States with his family many decades ago.