Purple Heart awarded to West Michigan veteran reunited with family
FOX17
and last updated 2021-05-31 22:19:23-04
PORTLAND, Mich. â A Purple Heart awarded to a West Michigan man injured during the Vietnam War is back with his family, who, until recently, did not know it existed.
âIâm glad to have this back,â said Matthew Smith while holding the medal on Monday. âIt means a lot of different things all at once. Itâs just almost unworldly in a sense.â
During the Vietnam War in 1968, Smithâs father, Army Sgt. Stephen D. Smith, was drafted to the 101st Airborne Division, where he served as a radio paratrooper.