DECATUR -- The Purple Heart is among the highest awards presented to this nation's military service personnel. Too many civilians, when talking to a recipient about this honor, often refer to "winning" this medal. And they would be quickly corrected. Put simply, it is an honor that is "earned."
The Purple Heart was created by General George Washington in 1782 as a combat decoration. It was originally known as the Badge of Military Merit and one of the United States' oldest combat decorations. The medal was first awarded to three enlisted soldiers in Newburgh, New York, during the Revolutionary War, in 1782, but its use was discontinued shortly thereafter.
It was pressed back into service 150 years later, in 1932, by order of the President of the United States through War Department General Orders, Number 3, and renamed the the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
This honor is presented to service personal who were wounded in the line of duty at the hands of an enemy. It is awarded to the next of kin in the event that the recipient is killed or died of wounds received in action. In 1973 and again in 2015, the criteria was amended to include those service personnel who were either wounded or killed "by attacks or acts committed by terrorist groups against the United States or countries friendly to the U.S." (Purple Heart City/Trail form).
The Purple Heart Trails and Cities program was created in 1992 as a tribute to the men and women of U.S. armed forces who were award the Purple Heart.
During the regular Decatur City Council meeting on March 14, Mayor Bob Tharp read a proclamation declaring the city of Decatur a Purple Heart City. After the Proclamation was read, it was then adopted by unanimous vote of the council. Following the vote, Chuck Adkins, of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, presented the city with a plaque formally designating the city as a Purple Heart City.
The city of Decatur becomes the 20th city in Arkansas to become a Purple Heart City. Other communities in northwest Arkansas that have this honor include Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Pea Ridge, Lowell, Cave Springs and Centerton. The first community in Arkansas to receive this distinction was Houston, on July 12, 2012. The Bella Vista council will vote March 28 to become another Purple Heart City in northwest Arkansas. Recently, the section of Interstate 49 between Fayetteville and Fort Smith was designated a Purple Heart Trail.
Tharp, along with Kim Wilkins and Rob Hopkins, began work on this project six months ago. They, along with Chief Terry Luker from the Decatur Police Department, were presented with Military Order of the Purple Heart lapel pins during the March 14 council meeting by Adkins for their work in bringing this high honor to Decatur.
The Decatur Veterans Committee, which is chaired by Hopkins, is looking to find other veterans, living or deceased, who earned this high honor.
"If anyone knows of someone that holds a Purple Heart, present or past, from the Decatur community, please let the city office know," said Hopkins. "We would appreciate a contact number. Thanks to the Decatur Veterans Committee and the city of Decatur for helping us become a Purple Heart City."
Decatur has at least five veterans who were awarded the Purple Heart, two of them posthumously.
Alvin Howard, who left Decatur in the 1941, was killed in action on Dec. 17, 1944. Howard, achieved the rank of staff sergeant in the 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division, during World War II. His division was moved into the Ardennes and he was a tank commander during the Battle of the Bulge. Howard is interred at the American Cemetery in Luxembourg.
The city of Decatur, along with the Decatur Veterans Committee, will hold a Military Order of the Purple Heart celebration and presentation at 10 a.m., April 23, at Veterans Park. This event is open to all military veterans and the entire community. Recipients of the Purple Heart, or their family members, will be honored for their service and sacrifice during this ceremony.
While Hopkins, Tharp and Wilkins put in countless hours putting this program together, Hopkins gives credit to his committee for its efforts in finding recipients of this high honor.
General News on 03/23/2016