Cooperative Living August 2022 - 8

HOLIDAY HABITATS
One in a series of holiday-inspired destinations in co-op country.
This month: Purple Heart Day
Red, White, Blue
and Purple
by Gregg MacDonald, Staff Writer
August 7 is Purple Heart Day
O
n May 9, 1971, U.S. Army Captain Thomas Smith
was co-piloting a military helicopter on a " last light "
visual reconnaissance scouting mission in the vicinity
of Viet Nam's U-Mihn Forest, better known to military
personnel as the Delta.
During the flight, Smith's helicopter was directed to make
a low-level, high-speed pass at a suspected enemy position to
identify the location of potential Viet Cong positions, as well
as to conduct a battle damage assessment of the targeted area.
While in the air, Smith's helicopter received intense,
concentrated fire from automatic weapons, sustaining 43
direct hits, including one round that struck him in the leg.
" The round went in and out, breaking my leg in the
process, " the now-retired U.S.
Army colonel says. " But I was
very lucky in that it did not hit
any major blood vessels. The
orthopedic surgeon said that
if that round had gone in one
millimeter higher, I wouldn't
have a lower leg. "
Smith was awarded a Purple
A Purple HHeart
Trail markeer in
front of the
MacAr
MacArthur
Memori
Memorial in
Norfolk
Norfolk, Va.
the Continental army, but nonetheless admired their courage
and fighting spirit.
As a veteran of European wars, Steuben wanted Americans
to have an award similar to the Cross of St. George that the
czar of Russia had recently created. Washington gave out three
of the badges himself, and later authorized other officers to
issue them as they saw fit.
MODERN DAY MEDAL
According to retired U.S. Army Maj. Daniel M. Eddinger,
national coordinator for the Purple Heart Trail, the Badge
of Military Merit slowly faded into obscurity after the
Revolutionary War until February 1932.
That's when an executive order
An original Badge of Military Merit, circa 1783
Heart, and today is the Virginia
commander of the Military
Order of the Purple Heart, a
national organization formed
in 1932 for those who have
received the military honor.
Composed exclusively of Purple
Heart recipients, it is the only veterans service organization
composed strictly of " combat " veterans.
IN THE BEGINNING
George Washington awarded the original Purple Heart,
designated as the Badge of Military Merit, on Aug. 7, 1782.
With a lack of funds in the Continental Army, many believe
the award was Washington's way to honor enlisted and
deserving soldiers inexpensively.
Others believe that although Washington was committed
to honoring his troops, the original idea for the decoration
came from Gen. Baron Von Steuben, one of Washington's
most trusted military associates.
According to Purpleheart.org, the Prussian major general
had difficulty in instilling military discipline and order into
6 ● Cooperative Living ●
August 2022
from President Herbert Hoover
revived the Purple Heart on the 200th
anniversary of George Washington's
birthday. Then-U.S. Army Chief of
Staff General Douglas MacArthur
signed off on War Department General
Order No. 3, officially renaming the
military decoration.
" MacArthur renamed the
Badge of Military Merit and called
it the Purple Heart, " Eddinger says.
Since 2014, Purple Heart recipients
have been honored annually on Purple
Heart Day, Aug. 7, as a way for
Americans to remember and honor
the men and women who represented their country and
were wounded or killed while serving. It is estimated that
approximately 2 million have been issued to date.
" We will have a Purple Heart Day display in our Robins
lobby from Aug. 4 through Aug. 9, " says Suzanne Feigley,
multimedia services manager for the Virginia War Memorial
in Richmond.
" The display will have a framed copy of the 2016 State
Joint Resolutions designating Virginia as a Purple Heart State
and Aug. 7th of each year as Purple Heart Day, as well as
a copy of a Purple Heart certificate, a description of the history
of the Purple Heart and an actual Purple Heart medal from
our archives. " 
For more, visit purpleheart.org.
co-opliving.com
PHOTO BY NEW WINDSOR CANTONMENT STATE HISTORIC SITE NEW YORK
STATE OFFICE OF PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION
http://www.Purpleheart.org http://www.purpleheart.org http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living August 2022

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