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Williams designated a Purple Heart City

A Purple Heart Day commemoration ceremony will be held Aug. 7 at 1 p.m. at Williams Monument Park to recognize the recipients of the Purple Heart awarded posthumously and those veterans who were awarded the medal while serving.
Photo by Loretta James.

A Purple Heart Day commemoration ceremony will be held Aug. 7 at 1 p.m. at Williams Monument Park to recognize the recipients of the Purple Heart awarded posthumously and those veterans who were awarded the medal while serving.

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — A Purple Heart Day commemoration ceremony to recognize the recipients of the Purple Heart awarded posthumously and those veterans who were awarded the medal while serving, and to officially recognize Williams Arizona as a Purple Heart City, will be held Aug. 7 at 1 p.m. at Williams’ Monument Park.

On March 16, Gov. Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1089-Purple Heart Day sponsored by Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Dist. 5. The legislation recognizes Aug. 7 as Purple Heart Day in Arizona.

The public is invited to join members of The American Legion, VFW, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Marine Corps League, Vietnam Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans who attend.

House Rep. Bob Thorne, Coconino County Board Supervisor Jim Parks and Williams’ Mayor John Moore will present proclamations to recognize Williams Arizona as a Purple Heart City. Every county in Arizona is officially a Purple Heart County and Arizona is officially a Purple Heart State. Williams will now be among those who recognize this day.

The Purple Heart Truck will be on display from the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 793 Flagstaff and a Vietnam Veteran will be presented his long-lost Purple Heart Medal by MOPH National Region #6 Commander, Billy Weldon.

Purple Heart history

The original Purple Heart, designated as the Badge of Military Merit, was established by George Washington — then the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War by order from his Newburgh, New York headquarters on Aug. 7, 1782.

The badge consisted of a heart shaped piece of cloth, with the word MERIT embroidered in silver across the front. It was awarded to soldiers who showed “not only instances of unusual gallantry in battle, but also extraordinary fidelity and services in any way.”


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