Today is National Purple Heart Day, when we remember the sacrifices of brave Veterans
Op-ed by Treasurer Stacy Garrity - Perhaps more than any other military decoration, a Purple Heart is a direct reflection of the service and sacrifice of the service member it was awarded to.
Every year on August 7, we observe National Purple Heart Day to honor and remember the courageous men and women who pledged to defend our great nation no matter the consequences and were wounded or killed in action fulfilling that selfless commitment.
This date also commemorates the creation of the Purple Heart itself, the oldest military decoration in the country. Originally created as the Badge of Military Merit by General George Washington in 1782, the Purple Heart was revived in 1932 to honor Washington’s 200th birthday.
One of the most recognizable military honors, the Purple Heart has been bestowed upon nearly two million Americans. The criteria for being awarded a Purple Heart have changed through the years, but nothing has changed what it stands for – the willingness to sacrifice one’s life for the United States.
One part of my job as state treasurer that I truly cherish is returning the military decorations that come to the Pennsylvania Treasury Department’s vault as unclaimed property, mostly as the contents of old safe deposit boxes.
Since taking office in 2021, I’ve had the honor of returning 11 Purple Heart medals to the brave Veterans who earned them or to their families.
Purple Heart Day is an appropriate time to recognize and thank them.
The majority of Purple Hearts I’ve returned have been earned by Army Veterans who served our country in World War II. That includes Staff Sergeant Andrew Banko, Private First Class James E. Bell, Thomas Davis Bishop, Jr., Private First Class John L. Bodnar, Virgil Clark, Sr., Private First Class Adrian Cronauer, and Sergeant Robert E. Cook.
Each soldier had a unique story of service, but they’re all tied together by an extraordinary sense of duty and the remarkable courage they displayed when facing the unimaginable. Banko enlisted when he was just 18 and was killed in action in Italy. Bell falsified his birthday so he could serve. Bishop earned a Purple Heart, and then he was injured a second time – but he never accepted his second Purple Heart. Bodnar was part of D-Day, landing on Omaha Beach. Clark was part of the Red Ball Express. Cronauer was shot in Germany – and a metal jacket button saved his life.
I’ve also had the honor of returning Purple Hearts awarded to three men who served in Vietnam: Army Captain Barclay A. Boyd, who served as a helicopter pilot; Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas Quinn Keller; and Joseph B. Taylor, who served in the Marines for 20 years. And I returned a Purple Heart to Alan Thomas, who served in the Army in the 1970s.
Every one of these Veterans deserves our deep and profound thanks.
Every Purple Heart that comes to Treasury represents a true sacrifice that we should all reflect on – and thank the Veteran who earned it. All of us are forever indebted to these Veterans who stepped into battle understanding the dangers they would face, and to their families who also made exceptional sacrifices for us all in defense of our freedom.
At Treasury, we’re working tirelessly to find the Veterans who earned the remaining five Purple Hearts being safeguarded in our vault, along with about 470 additional military medals and memorabilia. Our military database is available at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property/medals, and I encourage you to help us find these Veterans and their families.
On behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to every American who has been awarded the Purple Heart. Thank you for protecting us no matter what the consequences.
