New medallion honors Purple Heart recipients | News

Dozens of people braved the elements Aug. 7 to witness the unveiling of the Purple Heart Medallion at the Arizona Heroes Memorial in Oro Valley.

Each guest knew a half-hour in Naranja Park heat paled in comparison to the sacrifices of American veterans wounded, injured or killed in action. Some guests, in fact, were themselves Purple Heart recipients.

The Arizona Heroes Memorial Purple Heart Medallion, unveiled on National Purple Heart Day, is capped by an image of General George Washington, who conceived the Badge of Military Merit in 1782. In 1932, Congress authorized a new award, the Purple Heart, based on the Badge of Merit.

It recognizes “the sacrifice, courage and enduring spirit of warriors wounded defending our nation’s freedom,” the medallion reads.

The Purple Heart is “one of the most distinguished and respected United States military honors,” according to retired U.S. Army Capt. John Grand, a Purple Heart recipient who spoke on behalf of the Fort Lowell Chapter 442 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

“It has been a symbol of courage and sacrifice, representing those who have faced extraordinary hardships in service for our nation,” Grand told the audience. “The Purple Heart represents the blood that has been shed in defense of our nation.”

Fewer than 1/10th of 1% of Americans have received the honor. They “carry the weight of their experiences with a quiet dignity,” Grand said.

Members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart “are honored to represent the sacrifices of those who have gone before us,” he continued. The organization raises funds for veterans who need help with rent, utilities, transportation, and short-term finances. It provides suicide prevention awareness support to veterans, and promotes Americanism in schools and the community. Its website is https://442.mophaz.org/.

After the ceremony, Missy Farris took a picture of the placard while her husband Guy stood nearby. Guy Farris is a Purple Heart recipient; he served in the Marine Corps for three years, six months and six days, and was wounded in Vietnam.

“I think it’s great,” he said of the plaque, and the memorial itself. The couple has lived in Oro Valley for five years, and has visited the memorial site in Naranja Park “many times,” she said.

U.S. Army veteran Nicholas Danna was twice wounded in Vietnam, and received the first of two Purple Hearts on Aug. 7, 1967, 59 years to the day of the Oro Valley dedication. Danna and his family have been “generous in their support of the Memorial,” said Steve Didio, president of its board of directors.

In 2014, Oro Valley was one of the first towns in Arizona to become a Purple Heart Community. Vice Mayor Melanie Barrett and Councilmembers Dr. Harry “Mo” Greene II, Elizabeth Robb, and Mary Murphy were among those in the audience Aug. 7.