By Kristyna Wentz-Graff

The Oregonian

PORTLAND — U.S. Navy veteran Dario Raschio was all smiles Saturday as he awaited a special honor from U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, who joined him at Portland Community College's Southeast Campus to present the 100-year-old with a handful of medals.

"I feel I'm no hero," said Raschio, dynamic and spry, before the event. "I don't accept it as being a hero. I accept it as being a part of my job."

Shortly after Wyden began speaking, though, protesters erupted in the back of the room, shouting "hands-up, don't shoot!" More than 100 pushed through the doors, banged on the windows from outside and hoisted signs.

Raschio and his daughter, Pam Brown of Portland, had a front-row seat to the spectacle. Raschio's smile faded.

Demonstrators across the country have used "don't shoot" and "hands up" as rallying cries following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, last fall. "I can't breathe" references the death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who died in July following a chokehold by a New York City police officer.

The medal presentation was to be the first event at a Wyden town hall, one of several the senator, D-Oregon, is holding around the state this week. After 15 minutes of shouting, Wyden persuaded the group to stop and let him proceed with the medal presentation.

Raschio's smile returned as Wyden presented him with a frame filled with medals. He was awarded the U.S. Naval Aviator Badge, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the "Ruptured Duck" award and the U.S. Navy Honorable discharge pin.

He was also given a flag flown over the U.S Capitol.

"It is never too later for Oregon and America to remember one of our heroes," Wyden said.

Raschio joined the Navy at the age of 27. He piloted observational planes, and was based on the USS Chester. He participated in five campaigns in the Pacific Theatre.

One harrowing incident took place on Easter Sunday in 1944. He had been on a mission and took gunfire. When returning to the ship, his plane went down in the ocean and he figured that he and his passenger were likely to die in the water. A Navy destroyer came along a few hours later and rescued the pair, just as sharks were beginning to circle.

He then revealed the location of an ammo dump they had viewed from the sky on a South Pacific island. The dump was destroyed.

On Saturday, Raschio glossed over the incident. He seemed more concerned by the immediate action he was witnessing. As he grabbed the mic to speak, more shouts came from the back of the room, demanding the military exit from Iraq.

The feisty centenarian quickly responded, "Give me a chance" which brought chuckles from the audience. He further chastised the shouters, saying "Let's show a little respect for this occasion," to which the crowd applauded.

He accepted the medals on behalf of those who died in WWII and ended his short speech by saying, "God bless America. And you people that are here for a cause, whatever it might be--show respect to Sen. Wyden."

Wyden took back the mic, and followed up, "One of the reasons that we can come here today and be heard and express our views is because of veterans like Dario."

But before Raschio could even sit down the unrest resumed. A protester at the front of the room announced that "for 4.5 minutes we are going to take time to pay respect to everybody who has been killed by police in this nation."

With that, the chanting began again. At 3:15, after waiting 45 minutes for the meeting to begin, organizers called it off.

A coalition called Don't Shoot Portland had planned a rally on Southeast 82nd Avenue on Saturday afternoon and two were arrested earlier in the afternoon for allegedly blocking the avenue.

Wyden said later, "I think that the symbolism of having a veteran 100 years old, who fought so gallantly so that those who disagree with government policies and want to exercise their First Amendment rights could be heard, that's what made today so poignant."

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