A Palmerton World War II volunteer has been recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation's highest ranking civilian award.

On Saturday, Tech. Sgt. Leon H. Snyder, 93, was one of six Pennsylvanians from the Civil Air Patrol, the auxiliary of the United States Air Force, who served during World War II, who was honored at the Pennsylvania Wing Congressional Gold Medal award ceremony at the Reading Regional Airport in Reading. Snyder was unable to attend the event, but his daughter, Linda Aulenbach of Palmerton, accepted the medal in his honor.Others recognized included Newton C. Robbins of Carlisle, and the late John Guenther Sr., Eleanor C. Guenther, Elizabeth Magners and Phillip F. Neuweiler. The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to CAP last December during a national ceremony.Snyder, who was raised in Carbon County, joined the Civil Air Patrol Pennsylvania Wing in September 1942 after he and Paul Knepper, an engineer pilot and member of CAP, worked on and tested a two-seat, high-wing monoplane with tricycle landing gear called the Knepper KA-1 Crusader.He then worked as an aircraft mechanic at the CAP Coastal Patrol Base in Riverhead, New York, until August 1943.After the base was decommissioned, Snyder went on to work at various Tow Target squadrons including areas in Hyde Field, Maryland, and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. His duties included taking care of the aircraft, and he was also an aircraft reel operator, which consisted of hanging out the side and deploying the sock target for the gunners to shoot at down below.On several occasions he said the plane had to have repairs made to the fuselage from misguided bullets hitting it.Snyder served in this capacity until September 1945.He was married to Lorraine H. Snyder for 61 years until her passing in 2006. He has two children, Linda and William.