MY TURN: Purple Heart Day

Aug. 7 has been designated by Congress as Purple Heart Day. The Purple Heart is the medal presented to members of America’s armed forces who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action in the defense of our country. As such, it is the tangible embodiment of the oath that each person who is serving or has served in our country’s armed forces takes when they join the military confirming their willingness to go in harm’s way and, if necessary, to lay down their lives to defend our country.  

According to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, more than 1.8 million men and women have received the Purple Heart medal, and about 600,000 of those medals were presented to family members because the service member died in combat. 

The predecessor of the Purple Heart award was created by Gen. George Washington and approved by the Continental Congress in 1782 during the Revolutionary War as the “Badge of Military Merit.” It consisted of a small piece of purple silk cloth in the shape of a heart and embroidered with the word “Merit,” and was to be worn on the left side of a recipient’s uniform coat.   

Following World War I, and to commemorate the bicentennial of Washington’s birthday in 1932, Gen. Douglas McArthur introduced the medal awarded today featuring the likeness of Washington and made it an award for those who are wounded or die in combat with an enemy of the United States. The medal has become a tribute to the valor and sacrifice of those who have given all or something of themselves for something far greater than themselves. 

On this day, we should remember and honor not just those who have been awarded the medal, but the spirit that it embodies. Remember the brave men and women who have spilled their blood on distant battlefields, those who have returned home with wounds seen and unseen and those who gave their all for their country and their fellow citizens. Their sacrifices, and the sacrifices of their families, have shaped our history, strengthened our resolve to “do the right thing” and defined our character as a nation. 

But this day is not only about looking back, it is also a reminder to look forward, to recognize the resilience and commitment that lives in each of us. It is a call to protect and nurture the values that our veterans, past and present, lived their lives with: Duty, Honor and Country. It is also a stark reminder that we all must protect and honor the values of unity, compassion, integrity and determination, which are the backbone of our great country and our wonderful community.

To recipients of the Purple Heart and their families, I say: Your sacrifices were not in vain. Your pain is our shared responsibility, and your triumph is our collective pride. Your acts of selfless valor continue to be an inspiration, and a beacon of honor which reflects the true meaning of the often misused word: “Patriot.” Your legacy will live on. 

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Len Crosby is a Post Falls resident.