Wicked Local
KINGSTON – An 88-year-old Marine from Kingston who was awarded three Purple Hearts signifies the sacrifices of Purple Heart recipients wounded in combat.
The Board of Selectmen has proclaimed Kingston a Purple Heart Community, recognizing and honoring recipients of the Purple Heart Medal awarded to American soldiers wounded while engaged in combat or given posthumously to the next of kin when the greatest sacrifice had been made.
It’s the oldest American military decoration, created as the Badge of Military Merit by General George Washington Aug. 7, 1782, and re-established as the Purple Heart by General Douglas MacArthur Feb. 22, 1932. Kingston will annually recognize Aug. 7 as Purple Heart Day.
By John Lee Grant |
December 18, 2020
Staff Sgt. Beau M. Martindale is awarded the Purple Heart by Maj. Gen. Yves J. Fontaine during a ceremony on Coleman Barracks. (Photograph courtesy of U.S. Army. Spc. Adrienne Killingsworth, 18th MP Bde. PAO.)
The Haverhill City Council has begun the process of designating Haverhill as a Purple Heart Community.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Lorraine Post 29 Commander Keith Gopsill proposed to councilors Tuesday the designation to honor local veterans injured while serving their country.
“One small way that we can not only help local veterans, but any veteran that visits our fair city, is to make the City of Haverhill a Purple Heart City. By doing so, we reserve the right to post road signs around the city declaring, ‘We are proud of those who have borne the scars of battle and are recipients of the esteemed Purple Heart award, who call Haverhill home.,’” he explained.