Updated: 12 June, 2006
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Executive
Order 11016 – Apr 25, 1962)
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Purple Heart A history a description for collectors and historians
Purple Heart - There are three basic types of centers on Purple Hearts: enamel, painted and plastic. The enamel centers were on the first Purple Hearts issued (1932). These centers were fairly clear, at least clear enough that you can see the underlying surface. About 1942, one of the manufacturers of Purple Hearts, Rex Products, received authorization to replace the fired enamel with a painted composition center for Army Purple Hearts they were producing. This painted center is now often seen with almost opaque color and crazing over the surface (cracks and spidery lines). At about the same time, plastic inserts were approved and all the manufacturers went to that material for their Purple heart centers. All Purple Hearts since then, have used the plastic insert. (Ref: Jeff Floyd – Delphi Forum)
Freed U.S. soldiers heading home with Purple Hearts CNN 6 May 99
G Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment (Inf) Korean War Purple Heart Recipients Alphabetical List
Purple Heart’s Beginnings - By Catherine Pritchard Staff writer
Q:
A while ago, I remember reading about how someone
found a Revolutionary War uniform with an original Purple Heart on it. Can
you tell me about this? -- K.S., Fayetteville
A: Actually, two of the first three Purple Hearts ever
awarded are known to exist today. Back then, the badge consisted of a heart
in purple silk, edged in narrow lace. It was called the Badge of Military
Merit.
Friendly Fire Victims now eligible for the Purple Heart Medal – During the Vietnam War, over 30% of US injuries and fatalities were cause by friendly fire. During the Gulf War Campaign, over 50% of US casualties were caused by friendly fire. To recognize these injured and dead Americans, the Purple Heart can now be issued either to the victim or to a member of his/her family. For Information on how to apply for the Purple Heart Medal. For further information on Friendly Fire. (Ref: Mike Smith)
Wounded
Special Forces Soldiers get Purple Hearts (Four
soldiers awarded Purple Hearts -- medals awarded for wounds -- after being hit
by a stray American bomb last Monday while helping northern alliance forces
fighting armed Taliban captives in a fort near Mazar-e-Sharif) (Photos) (Dec 01)
WWI Vet Receives Medals (Baxter Fender, Jr received the Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal, the Soldier's Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with a bronze service star, the World War II Victory Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Honorable Service Lapel Button) (Jun 02)
Spades receives Purple Heart Having his parachute shot while bailing out of a plane hit by enemy fire, Richard Spades, landed on German soil hard enough to break his leg on March 2, 1945. Spades finally received the Purple Heart Medal for his injury while in military service. Spades initially applied for the award in the late 1980s, but was told he would not be awarded the medal. The reasoning was that the plane he was in was shot down by friendly fire. Spades then let it go, until he began to read about others, who were given the Purple Heart medal for friendly fire accidents. (Sep 02)
Friend of fallen soldier gives medals to mom Disabled veteran Ron Rogers made a 10 hour trip after learning that Betty Miller had requested from the government but had not received the medals. Rogers had fought side-by-side with Miller in the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines.He researched what type of medals and ribbons Miller would have earned and purchased them for $450 at a military store. "It bothered me that she had not received them," Rogers said, "so I sort of took it upon myself to make sure she got them." Orlando Sentinel, FL - 3 Jun 2003
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Purple Heart Stamp Daily Reminder of Valor In continuing recognition of the sacrifices of combat-wounded veterans, the Honorable R. James Nicholson, secretary of Veterans Affairs, recently joined with top officials from the U.S. Postal Service to unveil a new Purple Heart stamp. Nicholson, a West Point alumnus and retired colonel in the Army reserves, also presented the Purple Heart medal to two soldiers being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for combat wounds. Receiving the Purple Heart were Army Specialist Michael Hilliard and Army Specialist Ian Wagner. The new 39-cent postal stamp has the image of the military's Purple Heart medal. Created by George Washington in 1782 for soldiers in the Continental Army, the Purple Heart now goes to military men and women wounded in combat. Next of kin of veterans who die in combat also receive the medal. In 2003, the U.S. Postal Service first issued a 37-cent stamp with the medal's distinctive image – a profile of George Washington on a purple background within a heart-shaped medallion. The new stamp has the same image, although it comes in the new 39-cent value set for first-class postage. community.emeraldcoast.com 31 May 06 |
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USMC Cpl. Jacob Hobkins meets with the Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command, Lt. Gen. Earl Hailston after being awarded the Purple Heart |
Purple Hearts Awarded Aboard USNS Comfort Nine Marines were awarded the Purple Heart March 30 aboard USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). USMCForces Central Commander Lt. Gen. Earl B. Hailston came aboard to present the decoration personally to each Marine. Five Marines are from the 2nd Force Service Support Group (FSSG) 1st Battalion Charlie Company. They are Pvt. Jason Keough from Buffalo, N.Y.; Sgt. Jose Torres of Lorain, Ohio; Cpl. Jacob Hobkins from Columbus, Ind; Cpl. Michael Mead of Newberry, Mich.; and Cpl. Manuel Espinoza of Weslaco, Texas. Other Marines awarded the Purple Heart include Gunnery Sgt. Robert Hladik, Headquarters, Camp Pendleton, from Hemet, Calif.; Capt. Harry Porter, 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines, of West Chester, Pa.; Pvt. 1st Class Brian Nickes, 1st Marine Division 2nd Battalion, of Camben, N.J.; and Staff Sgt. David Oravecz, Marine Light-Armored Helicopter Squadron 269, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Battalion, from Hubert, Fla. NavNews for Wednesday, April 02, 2003 |
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Soldiers' bravery honored in rare public ceremony The mission remains classified. All Sgt. Matthew Watters can really say is it was in western Iraq, sometime last summer. And only when prompted does he mention the rocket-propelled grenade that "went right through my leg, blew it right off." His left leg torn off below the knee, the 24-year-old Army Ranger continued to lead his team on the night mission, earning a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with a valor device. The Seattle Times 13 Feb 04 |
Purple Heart recipients share memories Cooie Meigs was awarded two Purple Heart medals, an honor the military gives each time a soldier is injured during combat. He was also awarded the Silver Star for his actions at Okinawa in May, 1945. Tahlequah Daily Press, OK - 8 Aug 2003
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Governor presents medal to Guardsman Oregon National Guard Staff Sgt. Brian Dooley (center) receives a Purple Heart from Gov. Ted Kulongoski (right) and Maj. Gen. Raymond Byrne, StatesmanJournal.com 31 Dec 03 |
Wounded Minnesota chaplain gets Purple Heart Minnesota native Timothy Vakoc, the first U.S. Army chaplain known to be seriously wounded in Iraq, received the Purple Heart. Vakoc, a Catholic priest , was severely wounded May 29 when his Humvee hit in a roadside bomb near Mosul. The explosion reportedly damaged his brain, broke many bones and took his left eye. startribune.com 15 Jul 04
Local soldier receives medal John Ordonez of Fort Myers received the Purple Heart on Sept. 30 after he was injured when a bomb exploded under his vehicle while he was driving in a convoy in Baghdad. news-press.com 2 Dec 04
Air National Guard changes command; pins medals Brig. Gen. Don Haught of Torrington has taken command of the Wyoming Air National Guard. Several guard members were awarded honors for their service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The most notable was a Purple Heart, awarded to Staff Sgt. Justin Dierks, who was injured while on duty in June. Dierks is the first Purple Heart recipient in the Wyoming Air National Guard since the Korean War era. He and four other airmen were deployed in February to provide gunship convoy escorts for U.S. Army supply trucks. casperstartribune.net 5 Dec 04
Waterloo man awarded medal A Seneca County native and Army reservist will receive the Purple Heart. Sgt. 1st Class Christopher D. Balch of Waterloo is receiving the award for wounds suffered in an attack on his unit in the Iraqi city of Fallujah on Nov. 14. The veteran of 15 years in the service was there as part of the Army Reserve 98th Division, training the Iraqi army. democratandchronicle.com 5 Dec 04
Corpsman Saves Platoon Leader, Earns Purple Heart Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Sergio Villegas was awarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in Fallujah, Iraq, while in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Villegas was injured April 13 during a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack while serving with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. news.navy.mil 27 Aug 04
Iraq vet stripped of Purple Heart A Marine who earned a Purple Heart after he nearly died in Iraq in a Humvee crash has been stripped of the honor because the military determined his injuries were not combat-related. Last month, 1st Lt. Dustin P. Ferrell received a letter informing him that his Purple Heart had been revoked because the March 2003 crash has been ruled a simple traffic accident. indystar.com 9 Jan 05
Revocation of medals adds insult to injuries The story of Marine Staff Sgt. Robert Arellano's wound is not exactly heroic. He was sitting in a tent in southern Iraq when the 9mm handgun he was repairing went off, sending a bullet through his left leg. That's why his heart sank in spring 2003, when he heard that he would receive the Purple Heart as he recovered at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. Protests to superior officers were brushed aside. "I told them I didn't think I deserved it," said Arellano, 38, of Oceanside, Calif. The thought of wearing a medal he didn't earn "was eating me alive." Then a letter arrived two months ago making things even worse. The Purple Heart pinned on him nearly two years earlier had been "an administrative error" because his wound was not "caused directly or indirectly by enemy action." Ten other Marines who sustained noncombat injuries got the same news, from the office of the commandant of the Marine Corps. msnbc.msn.com 8 Feb 05
Navy Linguist Awarded Purple Heart Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) 1st Class Aaron Windle, from Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) San Diego, was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in Iraq Jan. 29. While on patrol, Windle’s unit surveyed a gap in a wall before passing, but as Windle passed through, he was shot just above the clavicle, knocking him down instantly. news.navy.mil 4 Mar 05
Two EOD Sailors Receive the Purple Heart Two Sailors received the Purple Heart award at a ceremony held at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 11. Sonar Technician (Submarine) 1st Class (EOD/SS/SW) Heath Nettleton and Quartermaster 1st Class (EOD/SW) Chad Munroe each received a Purple Heart for injuries sustained in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Both Nettleton and Munroe were doing their jobs in Iraq in May 2004 when they sustained injuries from a roadside bomb that exploded. There were two other members of EODMU 11 in the vehicle, Lt. Mark McGuckin and Electronics Technician 1st Class (EOD) Brent Barto who have already transferred and will receive the Purple Heart once arriving at their new commands. news.navy.mil 26 Apr 05
Vietnam Vet, Journalist Hackworth Dies Retired Army Col. David Hackworth, a highly decorated Vietnam veteran who spoke out against the war and later became a journalist and advocate for military reform, has died. He was 74. At 40 he became the youngest full colonel in Vietnam, where he served for nearly six years. He won some 80 medals in his career, including two Distinguished Service Crosses, 10 Silver Stars and eight Purple Hearts. He came under fire because of his role in a 1996 Newsweek investigation of whether Adm. Michael Boorda wore medals for valor that he did not deserve. Boorda, the Navy's top admiral, committed suicide rather than face disgrace, and some in the Pentagon blamed Hackworth. Then, CBS reported that Hackworth may have worn a ``Ranger'' tab he did not earn. An audit by the Army's chief of awards and decorations, found he was issued the Ranger tab improperly, but that he should have been issued other medals and was not. There was no indication Hackworth wore any medals beyond those issued him by the Army. guardian.co.uk 6 May 05
Sailor Awarded Purple Heart for Service in Iraq Rear Adm. Barry McCullough has awarded Lt. Mark L. McGuckin the Purple Heart. McGuckin received the medal for injuries he suffered while forward deployed to the Persian Gulf in May 2004 with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11, based at Whidbey Island, Wash. On the afternoon of May 19, 2004, McGuckin received a report of a possible improvised explosive device (IED) along a well-traveled supply road in Iraq. McGuckin’s unit was approaching an embankment along the shoulder of the road south of Baghdad in their light-armored Humvee when McGuckin noticed a truckload of armed insurgents in the distance. He ordered Electronics Technician 1st Class (EOD) Brent Barto, who was manning the vehicle’s M60 machine gun, to target the truck. “I sat on the passenger side and started sweeping them as we passed the embankment,” recalled McGuckin. “The next thing I knew, everything went black.” Two bombs planted near the roadside had been denoted by a remote device, showering the Humvee with fragments of metal and debris. When McGuckin regained consciousness moments later, the vehicle’s driver, Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class (EOD/SW) Heath Nettleton was calling for medical assistance. All four crewmen had been hit with shrapnel. McGuckin, who now serves as anti-terrorism/force protection assistant with Carrier Strike Group 6 at NS Mayport, received the Bronze Star last year for meritorious service during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Barto, Nettleton, and Intellignece Specialist 1st Class (EOD/SW/AW) Chad Munroe received the Purple Heart in April. news.navy.mil 16 May 05
CNO Awards EODMU 3 Sailors Medals For OIF Actions 3 Sailors were awarded medals for heroic achievements during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Chief Electronics Technician (EOD) Angel Olivera was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with a combat distinguishing device; Equipment Operator 2nd Class (EOD) John Fleming was awarded the Purple Heart; Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class (EOD/PJ) Neil Marshall was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat valor; Chief Boatswain’s Mate (EOD/SW/AW) Anthony Schmit, Quartermaster 1st Class (EOD/FMF) Kyle Kirk and Sonar Technician 1st Class (EOD/SW/PJ) Justin Berlien were each awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. navycompass.com 3 Jun 05
Bush Awards Medals to Minot Soldier President George W. Bush made a stop at Walter Reed Army Medical Center Friday, visiting wounded soldiers and making medal awards. The President presented Minot Army Captain Daniel Gade with two Purple Hearts. Gade was seriously wounded in January when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Iraq. kxmc.com 3 Jul 05116th soldiers receive Purple Heart medals A dozen soldiers of the 116th Brigade Combat Team at Forward Operating Base McHenry were presented the Purple Heart on July 4 for wounds received in action earlier this year, according to a news release from the 116th. The awardees were Sgt. Tim Swander of HHC, 1-163rd Infantry: Spc. Jonathon Pemp of C Co., 116th Engineer Bn.; Sgt. Kelly Nieskens of C Co., TF 1-163rd Infantry; Spc. John Middlemas of C Co., TF 1-163rd Infantry; Spc. Nathaniel Loomis of HHC, 1-163rd Infantry; Sgt. Richard Kivett of C Co., 116th Engineer Bn.; Staff Sgt. Allen Hunt of C Co., TF 1-163rd Infantry; Spc. Chet Hoerner of C Co., TF 1-163rd Infantry; Staff Sgt. Daman Hall of C Co., 116th Engineer Bn.; Staff Sgt. Christopher Grudzinski of B Co., TF 1-163rd Infantry; Spc. Mark Cruz of B Co., of TF 1-163rd Infantry; and Spc. Adam Bagley of HHC, 1-163rd Infantry. The 116th Brigade Combat Team supports the efforts of the government of Kirkuk Province in the areas of communication, infrastructure, economics and security. The 116th comprises units from Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Utah, North Dakota, Maryland and New Jersey. magicvalley.com 11 Jul 05
World War II Remembered Following news items are from 1945 - Capt. Zachary T. Ossefort has been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in Czechoslovakia May 5. First Lt. Robert Mahony has been awarded the Purple Heart and Air medal for duty with the Army Air corps in Europe. Cpl. Harold E. Derbique, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Derbique, 1250 Doty street, has been awarded the Croix de Guerre Avec Palme by the French government for “exceptional military services rendered in the course of operations for the liberation of France.” T/Sgt. Sylvester Strelow, of Gresham, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement in the strategic air war over Europe. Lt. George M. Ossefort has been awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action in Germany between Feb. 23 and Feb. 26, 1945. Cpl. Charles W. Erickson was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in combat on the Fifth Army front in Italy. Sgt. Alfred B. Forsythe has been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action in Italy April 14. greenbaypressgazette.com `17 Jul 05
Acts of bravery recognized Bob Valerius is reluctant to talk about his combat experiences during World War II. And he does not think any significance should be attached to the five Purple Hearts that he was awarded during that conflict. As a forward observer who directed artillery fire for the Army's Second Division, he constantly found himself in extremely exposed positions. After his first two wounds, he just about gave up on surviving the war. After fighting across France, Belgium and Germany, he was involved in the heroic effort to blunt the Nazis' last great offensive of the war in Europe, the Battle of the Bulge. news.cincypost.com 6 Aug 05
A soldier's bravery honored Twenty-five years ago, Van Stewart joined the Marine Corps after high school graduation without a second thought. Stewart received a Purple Heart for bravery under fire in Iraq. A Maryland National Guard sergeant first class, Stewart said he and a National Guard unit from Virginia Beach were traveling to an enemy prisoner of war camp in August 2003 when an improvised explosive device ignited between the truck he was driving and another vehicle. delmarvanow.com 4 Aug 05
Camp Pendleton Marines awarded for valor Five Marines were awarded Bronze Stars, three received Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two were awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and two got Purple Hearts for combat wounds.Sgt. Sam Pennock, 26, was awarded a Bronze Star with a combat distinguishing device. As he fired at insurgents who attacked his platoon in Ramadi on Nov. 8, Pennock was knocked down in his truck turret by a bomb blast. After he got up to resume firing, another explosion targeting his vehicle knocked him down and destroyed his machine gun. Pennock dragged himself up again, this time picking up a rifle to defend his unit until the blast from an armor-piercing rocket propelled grenade rocked his vehicle and wounded a fellow Marine inside. Again, Pennock recovered and fought off insurgent attacks while Navy corpsmen worked to save his comrade's life. Capt. Eric Dougherty, was awarded the Bronze Star for leading his company in a seven-hour firefight against an ambush that wounded six Marines. Also receiving Bronze Stars with combat distinguishing devices were 2nd Lt. John McKinley, Staff Sgt. Matthew Hays, and Maj. Michael Targos. McKinley led a platoon in more than 50 engagements against insurgents in Ramadi, including one four-hour fight against at least 50 attackers, according to the citation. Targos, who was one of the first officers to arrive and last to leave Ramadi, was recognized for tirelessly supplying the Marines with the ammunition they needed during combat missions, and for organizing a rescue operation to retrieve wounded troops and three disabled vehicles from an enemy ambush Sept. 12. Hays, a 24-year-old Marine from Salinas, was recognized for numerous actions under fire during which he kept his head despite being attacked by suicide bombers, roadside bombs and mortar fire. Along with Staff Sgt. Gregory Quaresma and 1st Lt. Alex O'Brien, Tovar and Santoro were given Navy and Marine Corps Commendations. First Lt. Jeffrey Tew received a Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Corporals Joseph Grimaldi and Ben Sebena both received Purple Hearts for being wounded in action. nctimes.com 8 Aug 05
Army buddies hand-deliver local soldier’s Silver Star A deep respect has shrouded the military community in Colorado for the loyalty and courage Army Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Vitagliano exhibited in Iraq for the safety of his fellow soldiers. Vitagliano, 33, threw himself on top of two U.S. soldiers, saving them both, when a car bomb exploded Jan. 17 near their position in Iraq. His heroic actions have posthumously earned him the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge and, now, the Silver Star, one of the nation’s highest honors. According to the soldiers, Vitagliano and dozens of other soldiers were scouring the roadside on Easy Street in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, in three separate contingents when Vitagliano’s intuition drew his attention to a suspicious taxi. Realizing that the same car kept circling the area, Ronan said her brother radioed to another nine-man contingent two blocks ahead of him and received permission to investigate. His father was told his son, with weapon in hand, walked straight at the taxi and ordered the driver out from eight feet away. It was at that time, the elder Vitagliano said quietly, that the soldier reportedly noticed the driver fiddling with something in his hands. In a matter of moments, Vitagliano ran and jumped on two nearby privates, separating them from the blast, but costing him his life. Also killed was Pfc. George Geer, 27, of Cortez, Colo. nhregister.com 10 Oct 05
United States - Rangers given award for valor Mention the 2003 Battle of Hadithah Dam to any Ranger and watch him swell with pride.The Army thinks so highly of the performance by the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment that it recently honored the outfit with the Valorous Unit Award, second in unit awards only to the Presidential Unit Citation. According to the award citation, the Fort Benning-based Rangers, then part of a joint task force engaged in an intense battle during the opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, displayed extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy from March 30 through April 9, 2003. Their mission: Seize the enemy-occupied Hadithah Dam in Iraq to obtain a communication line across the Euphrates River and to prevent the enemy from destroying the dam. Previously, four Rangers received the Silver Star, 11 received the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, five received the Purple Heart, 20 received Army Commendation Medals for Valor, 15 received the Bronze Star Medal and 71 received the Army Commendation Medal for this mission. The 3rd Battalion last received the Valorous Unit Award for actions while deployed to Somalia in 1993. ledger-enquirer.com 13 Dec 05
Secretary of Defense honors Bayonet Soldiers Capt. William Swaims (Arkansas), a combat surgeon with Charlie Company, 173rd Support Battalion (Airborne) was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for actions on July 25 in the village of Stah Chow in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Spc. Michael Vertucci (Fishers, IN), serving with Delta Company, 165th Military Intelligence Battalion, was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for actions on June 21 in Miena Shin district, Zabul Province, Afghanistan. Master Sgt Richard Steele (Florida), 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, received the Purple Heart for wounds received in action during an operation in southern Afghanistan. Capt. Matthew Peterson (Eugene, OR), Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry, Sgt. Angel Cortez (Willos, CA), Delta Company, 113th Aviation Regiment, and Spc. Jose Rhodes (Texas), Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, received the Air Medal with Valor for actions taken during May and June of 2005 in southern Afghanistan. Sgt. Kenneth Stover (Philadelphia, PA), and Sgt. Angel Sanchez were awarded the Army Commendation Medal with Valor for actions taken on July 25 in the village of Stah Chow in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan army.mil 28 Dec 05
Murtha's War Hero Status Called Into Question Having ascended to the national stage as one of the most vocal critics of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman John Murtha has long downplayed the controversy and the bitterness surrounding the two Purple Hearts he was awarded for military service in Vietnam. Murtha is a retired marine and was the first Vietnam combat veteran elected to Congress. Since 1967, there have been at least three different accounts of the injuries that purportedly earned Murtha his Purple Hearts. Those accounts also appear to conflict with the limited military records that are available, and Murtha has thus far refused to release his own military records. The Murtha controversy is reminiscent of the flap surrounding the war record of 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. But while critics like the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth attacked Kerry in 2004 because of his anti-war activism of the 1970s, Murtha's three chief accusers all made their allegations years and in some cases decades before Murtha emerged last November as a prominent anti-war activist. cnsnews.com 13 Jan 06
Like father, like son at medal ceremony The Purple Heart was a long time coming for retired Army Sgt. William Hall of Fort Worth — 53 years, in fact. But the delayed award became more special when his son, Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Roland Hall, received the Bronze Star for service in Iraq in the same ceremony. William Hall was wounded in his left leg on June 16, 1953, during action with the 40th Infantry Division when his platoon was ambushed near Kumwha, South Korea, during the Korean War. Despite his wound, Hall rallied and encouraged his men while remaining exposed to heavy enemy fire until reinforcements arrived, his citation states. Roland Hall was decorated for exemplary work as a platoon sergeant providing patrols, convoy escorts and security missions and later as an operations sergeant providing resources and equipment to support troop missions. mysanantionio.com 29 Jan 06
Capito to present medals to family of fallen soldier Medals earned by a soldier who died 62 years ago in the line of duty were to be presented to his family. Sgt. Herbert Mucklow served in the U.S. Army during World War II, was killed in action in France on Sept. 24, 1944. A native of Nicholas County, he served as an Army infantryman. His company came under mortar fire about one mile north of Mosseux, France, and Mucklow died in the ensuing battle. Awards to be presented to his sister in his honor today include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge First Award, and the Honorable Service Lapel Button. dailymail.com 3 Feb 06
Fall opening expected for Purple Heart Hall of Honor State Sen. Bill Larkin is considered by many to be a major figure in leading the way for the creation of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor at the New Windsor Cantonment and the reissuance of the Purple Heart postage stamp that was raised from 37 cents to 39. Larkin's staff has taken personal pride in helping with paperwork and assisting in getting a fund-raising brochure together. The $5 million cost to construct the building is fully funded by New York state in partnership with the federal government, the Military Order of the Purple Heart and private donors. The 7,500-square-foot Hall of Honor is expected to be completed for a ribbon- cutting on Veterans Day in the fall. Meanwhile, information can be obtained through Larkin's office at 567-1270 or 518-455-2770. recordonline.com 9 Mar 06
Slain Fil-Am fighter pilot gets Bronze Star The United States government will posthumously award the Bronze Star medal to Filipino-American Ruel Garcia, a US Army pilot who was killed in Iraq last month. Garcia, who held the rank of chief warrant officer, will also receive the Purple Heart medal and the Air Medal. manilastandardtoday.com 7 Feb 06
Purple Heart Hall of Honor could be open by November Almost 2 million Americans have earned the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in battle. That's almost 2 million stories just waiting to be told. And the state wants all of them to be told at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. The long-awaited hall is due to open as early as this fall at the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site. A major attraction at the hall will be an interactive, multimedia display that relates veterans' stories through photographs, memorabilia and especially videotaped recollections. From the beginning, a major goal of those planning the hall has been to record on tape as many Purple Heart veterans as possible reflecting on their experiences, so they can be shared with students and other visitors for generations to come. Half a million or more Purple Heart veterans are still living, and the war in Iraq has created a new generation of them. The museum might open on Veterans Day, in November, if everything is ready. The latest it will open is Memorial Day 2007 - the 75th anniversary of the awarding of the first Purple Hearts in a ceremony at the Cantonment. recordonline.com 18 Mar 06
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Medal taken on long road home The grimy blue case rested among other dusty knickknacks in a Southern California secondhand shop. At first glance, Gene Dobos thought it must contain a watch. A thrift-shop browser and watch collector by hobby, Dobos looked closer and saw the words “PURPLE HEART” embossed in gold on the case’s leatherette cover. Inside, on the stained yellow velvet lining, lay a worn, heart-shaped medal adorned with a purple ribbon. Etched on its reverse was the name “Frank N. Smith” and “For Military Merit.” At home in San Bernardino that night, Dobos couldn’t get Smith or the medal – which is awarded only to those wounded or killed in war – out of his mind. The next morning, he returned and bought it for $40. “It was a very dingy and rundown thrift shop and (I) felt bad the medal was there,” said Dobos, 37, and a salesman by trade. And so began an effort conducted almost entirely on the Internet that grew to include a small army of strangers spanning four states – California, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas – all determined to return the decoration to its rightful owner and honor the unknown soldier for his sacrifice. Dobos and his online hunters eventually determined that the person in question was Army Pfc. Frank Norman Smith, who died in Vietnam nearly 40 years ago. Smith, 20, was a light-vehicle driver in a convoy that was ambushed Dec. 17, 1968, in the Tay Ninh province of South Vietnam, according to casualty records.The enemy was gearing up for an offensive and U.S. forces were moving in to defend the city of Tay Ninh. Just two weeks shy of coming home to Seneca County, Ohio, for good after a year in combat, Smith was killed by small-arms fire.fortwayne.com 4 Mar 06 |
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Hurt in Iraq, Joliet soldier gets medals A soldier who was severely injured in Iraq received the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. Senior Airman Daniel E. Acosta II received the awards for serving as an explosive ordnance disposal technician Dec. 7 with a team assigned to investigate a crater for explosive devices. Acosta discovered and detonated one device, but another one exploded. Acosta lost an arm. Acosta, 21, had been in Iraq three months as part of the 477th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron. During that time, he'd been involved in 399 missions in the Baghdad area and successfully made safe 23 improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. suburbanchicagonews.com 4 Apr 06 |
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WWII Naval Hero, Capt Forrester C. Auman deceased at age 87 Capt. Auman had a distinguished military career as a naval aviator. During the WWII Battle of Midway his plane ran out of fuel and had to be ditched but he was later picked up by a PT boat. As a dive bomber following a skirmish with a Japanese fighter which left him with a bloody head from five pieces of shrapnel he was credited with a direct hit on the Japanese carrier Shokaku which had taken part in the attack on Pearl Harbor. When he tried to return to his ship the aircraft carrier Hornet, he discovered it had been sunk so he was forced to land aboard the carrier Enterprise. His plane was so shot up that it was pushed over the side. Although entitled to a Purple Heart, the line was so long that he chose to go to bed instead. For his performance that day he was awarded the Silver Star “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as pilot of a Scout Bomber of the U.S.S. Hornet Air Group during action again enemy Japanese forces near Santa Cruz Island October 26, 1942. northmyrtlebeachonline.com 5 Apr 06 |
Richmond soldier awarded Purple Heart for bravery A little thing like a gunshot wound couldn't keep Staff Sgt. Richard Blakely of Richmond from doing his job. Blakely was wounded in Iraq Jan. 16 when he was struck in the wrist by sniper fire near Baghdad. He was treated and returned to his unit the same day. He is a member of the Indiana National Guard's 38th Main Support Battalion, headquartered in Indianapolis, but transferred to the 738th Area Support Medical Company for mobilization to Iraq. pal.item.com 16 Apr 06
National Guard soldiers honored Complete list of recipients:
Bronze Star with Valor
Spc. Jennifer Beck
Spc. Joshua Birkel
Spc. Richard DeLancey
Spc. Michael Sharples
Purple Heart
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Preister
Sgt. Terence Ricketts
Sgt. Matthew Rouse
Sgt. Chad Schroetlin
Spc. Richard DeLancey
Spc. Justin Diggins
Spc. Jacob Graff
Spc. John Harris
Spc. Kelsey Lamb
Spc. Fenton Phan
Spc. Rachelle Spors
Army Commendation Medal with Valor
Sgt. Eric Nesiba
Spc. Jacob Graff
Spc. Donald Harrer
Spc. Nathan Reitz journalstar.com 24 Feb 06
Five Miss.-based Seabees receive Purple Heart Five Seabees based in Gulfport, Mississippi, have been given the Purple Heart for injuries they suffered in Iraq. Four of the five were wounded January second. They were in a lead convoy vehicle sent out to deliver supplies across Iraq. Sean Sullivan, Jody Allen, Christopher Moran and Cody Cannon were injured in a roadside bombing attack. Almost two months later, a barracks attack in Ramadi dropped steel girders on Richard Fisher. wtvm.com 9 May 06
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Woman receives Purple Heart Medal for brother killed in WWII When Betty (Groesch) Helgren of Aurora was 17 years old, her 20-year-old brother, Bud, was sent to serve in Germany during World War II. Two years later, as a field artillery soldier in the U.S. Army, Bud was killed. Pvt. Lawrence "Bud" Groesch, who was killed on May 4, 1945, finally received his medal, 61 years later. suburbandchicagonews.com 1 May 06 |
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Rangers Awarded for Bravery One by one, soldiers of the 75th Ranger Regiment were honored for their bravery, courage and valor while overseas. These troops conducted more than 200 combat operations, killing or capturing more than 400 terrorists. As an reward for those results...more than 500 Rangers were presented service and combat awards. Sgt. 1st Class Colin Boley was the only Ranger given a silver star. "Sgt. 1st Class Boley distinguished himself for valor during 3 direct and indirect fire engagements while leading the rangers during an extensive operation." Purple Heart Recipient Captain Sam Linn. wtvm.com 18 Dec 05 |
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Shared Pride John Burnett presents 14 medals he earned during World War II during a ceremony at Austin High School on Monday. He donated the medals, which include a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, for display in the school library. Burnett joined the Tennessee National Guard in January 1940. After his mobilization in September 1940, he joined the Rangers in 1944. During the invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, he scaled Pointe du Hoc, was shot and taken prisoner the next day. decaturdaily.com 13 Dec 05 |
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After almost 37 years, Purple Heart gives closure to Vietnam War veteran When James L. Day, pictured right, returned home from Vietnam in 1969, picking up the Purple Heart he had earned wasn't foremost on his mind. His priorities were centered on readjusting to civilian life after a year of serving as a specialist in the 25th Infantry Division during an era in which Vietnam veterans weren't exactly embraced by the public. Day spent the war as part of a tank crew, first as a shell loader and later as a driver. Thirty-seven years after the right side of his tank blew up because of a land mine, Day finally received his Purple Heart. macon.com 11 Oct 05 |
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City employee receives overdue medals Tom “Mack” Tucker is congratulated by U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., after Udall presented him with a Purple Heart for his service in Vietnam. Tucker, the city’s superintendent of parks and recreation, was awarded 14 medals. Tucker served from 1961 to 1969, serving five tours in Vietnam. Tucker said he mainly served on swift boats throughout his time with the U.S. Navy. Tucker said the Purple Heart, which is given to those wounded during service, was given to him because of an injury caused by shrapnel. pntonline.com 39 Aug 05 |
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Soldier's heroism in rescue recalled at medal ceremony Four Pennsylvania National Guardsmen receive quilts during a Purple Heart medal ceremony. From left to right are Spc. Kevin Claycomb of Connellsville, Sgt. Brandon Miller of Chadds Ford, Staff Sgt. Jason Leisey of Lancaster County, and Spc. Timothy Boots of Connellsville. post-gazette.com 27 Aug 05 |
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CNO Awards Pensacola Corpsman Purple Heart Chief of Naval Operations Mike Mullen congratulates Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Johnathan D. Bryant after awarded him the Purple Heart during an Admiral's Call at the Naval Aviation Memorial Chapel on board Naval Air Station Pensacola. Bryant received the decoration - one of the world’s oldest military decorations still awarded today - for injuries he received in combat while serving his second tour of duty as a corpsman with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) in May 2004. He was wounded while assisting injured Marines during a prolonged gun battle in Western Iraq. news.navy.mil 22 Aug 05 |
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The Purple Heart: A tribute to those who make the ultimate sacrifice Karla Randle remembers her son, Army Sgt. Edmond Lee Randle Jr. (pictured). It is a modest decoration, neither excessively gilded nor jewel encrusted. It is not weighty or oversized, but few medals have the aura of the Purple Heart. The only medal the United States awards for combat wounds or loss of life, it is the one that tells most poignantly the cost of war. sun-sentinel.com 30 May 05 |
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EOD Sailor Receives Purple Heart Senior Chief Mineman Gary V. Myers, assigned as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team member, received the Purple Heart for injures sustained while engaged in combat operations in Iraq. news.navy.mil 21 Mar 05 |
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After
37 years, medal arrives for Vietnam veteran Vietnam
veteran Kenneth Toler shows one of three Purple Hearts medal he
received as a member of the Marine Corps 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st
Marine Division, his unit was known as "The Fighting
Division." herald-coaster.com 17 Jan 05 |
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United States - Soldier recovering, but he can't forget comrades Jerome Benzschawel receives a Purple Heart medal. jsonline.com 5 Jan 05 |
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Navy
Hospital Corpsman Awarded Purple Heart Navy Hospital
Corpsman 3rd Class Lucas Kruse was awarded the Purple Heart for
wounds received in support of Operation Iraqi. Lucas makes light of the
wounds which he got while clearing a house of enemy operatives while
serving with the Second Battalion, 23rd Marines. news.navy.mil
7 Jun 04 |
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Fallen Marine May Get Medal Of Honor A Marine who was mourned during a special ceremony Tuesday could be in line for the Medal of Honor, his friends said. Sgt. Raphael Peralta, 25, has already been posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for actions in Fallujah, where he threw himself onto a grenade to save the lives of fellow Marines, according to The Army Times. Peralta regularly volunteered for assault teams that were more dangerous than his assignment would have been otherwise. On the day that he died, Peralta was acting as part of a team that entered a suspected safe house in northern Fallujah. Friends of Peralta's say he should be remembered as nothing less than a hero. nbcsandiego.com 24 Nov 04 |
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U.S. Navy Seabees Receive Purple Hearts From left, Master Chief Constructionman Martin Yingling, Chief Equipment Operator Darion Williams and Steelworker 3rd Class Justin Sasser wearing Purple Hearts presented for wounds sustained by indirect fire while working in Camp Fallujah, Iraq. They were part of a detachment assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four (NMCB-4) deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). news.navy.mil Nov 04 |
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Injured Coast Guardsman dedicates medal to fallen friend Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Joseph T. Ruggiero received the first Purple Heart to be awarded to a Coast Guard member since the Vietnam War. Ruggiero, a member of the Tactical Law Enforcement Team South from the Coast Guard's Opa-locka station, was injured while defending the Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal on April 24. The suicide attack claimed the life of Petty Officer Nathan B. Bruckenthal of Dania Beach, the first Coast Guard member killed in action since Vietnam. In addition, two naval servicemen were killed and three others wounded. miami.com 6 May 04 |
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Green Berets pinned for bravery Spc. Geofferey Glashauser received a Purple Heart from Lt. Col. Robert Kelley, commander, 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group. Glashauser was one of two soldiers with 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group awarded the Purple Heart during a Monday ceremony at Cole Park Commons at Fort Campbell. More than 160 other 5th Group members with 1st Battalion also were recognized for their combat efforts in Iraq, mostly when the unit secured western Iraq before the start of the war last March. In addition to the Purple Hearts, other awards presented included the Bronze Star with Valor, Army Commendation Medal and Combat Infantryman and Medical Badges. theleafchronicle.com 23 Mar 04 |
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Decades later, a windfall for code talker Fifty-nine years after he narrowly survived the Battle of Iwo Jima, Navajo code talker Teddy Draper Sr. finally has been awarded the Purple Heart by the U.S. Marine Corps. chron.com 13 Mar 04 |
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The Hearts That Bind: Medal Makers Feel Personal Tie to Soldiers' Sacrifice Patricia Rodriguez uses pliers to attach Purple Heart ribbons at Graco Awards in Tomball, Texas. As of Feb. 24, American troops killed and wounded in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom numbered 378 and 2,703 respectively, according to the Defense Department -- each one entitled to a Purple Heart. newhousenews.com 25 Feb 04 |
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Col. Kurt Fuller, left, salutes
Sgt. Sebastian Pineiro, who received a Purple Heart. The
following paratroopers with the 1st Battalion of the 325th Airborne
Infantry Regiment received medals for action during Operation Iraqi
Freedom. The soldiers’ ranks appear as they were at the time of
action for which they were recognized.
Bronze Star with 'V' device Capt. Gabriel Barton Army Commendation Medal with 'V' device Capt. Devin Hollingsworth Purple Heart Spc. Jason Wilson (2 awards) |
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Purple Heart symbolizes sacrifice Paul D. Walker received the Purple Heart in 1967 when he was wounded during a tour of duty in the Vietnam War. In America's ongoing war in Iraq, 1,350 Purple Hearts have been awarded for U.S. casualties. The Salt Lake Tribune 8 Dec 03 |
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Soldier gets medal 58 years late World War II veteran Burton Wollan, left, is pinned with a Purple Heart from Col. Pete Mohan of the Montana Army National Guard. Daily Inter Lake 20 Nov 03 |
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