Often described by honorees as the “trip of a lifetime,” one Purple Heart recipient and an escort of their choosing from each state will receive an all-expenses-paid trip filled with special tributes, tours, and ceremonies honoring their service and sacrifice on behalf of a grateful nation.
The multi-day Patriot Project Mission will feature visits to a number of historic sites, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; a private tour of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor; and the 9/11 Memorial. Other special tribute events are also being planned.
This year’s Patriot Project honorees include men and women from all branches of military service, who sacrificed for America and then went on to be leaders in their communities and professions.
Among the distinguished honorees is six-time Purple Heart recipient, Thomas “Stormy” Matteo, who served in Vietnam. A Marine Corps Staff Sergeant, Matteo, was a Rifle Platoon Commander and Infantry Platoon Leader during 1968 and 1969 in Quang Nam Province. After his service in Vietnam, Matteo entered a career in law enforcement that eventually led him to become Police Chief in two Florida municipalities.
Also being recognized is Marine Corps Major James Capers Jr. The son of a sharecropper, Capers enlisted in the Marines and was selected to join the elite Force Recon Marine unit where he broke training records, participating in 64 long range reconnaissance patrols and five major campaigns in Vietnam. Capers was the first African American to command a Marine Recon company and the first enlisted African American Marine Officer to receive a battlefield commission. Earlier this year, 47 members of Congress sent a letter to President Trump urging him to award the Medal of Honor to Major Capers.
Another honoree, U.S. Navy Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) Steve Woelk, a two-time Purple Heart recipient, who was serving on the U.S.S. Pueblo when it was captured in 1968 by North Korea. He was wounded severely during the capture of the ship and spent 11 months as Prisoner of War (POW).
The 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project honorees include:
National Honoree – James Capers – U.S. Marine Corps – Vietnam
Alabama – Roger Ward III – U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Alaska – John Knott – U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Arizona – John R. Moore – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Arkansas – John Parette – U.S. Army – Operation Enduring Freedom
California – Larry Iverson, Ph.D. – U.S. Marine Corps – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Colorado – Frank Cirullo – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Connecticut – John Alberghini – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Delaware – Gary Morris – U.S. Air Force – Vietnam
Florida – Thomas Matteo – U.S. Marine Corps – Vietnam
Florida – Denise Woodfin – U.S. Navy – Bombing of the U.S.S. Cole
Georgia – Alfred "Al" Lipphardt – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Hawaii – Shaun Curry – U.S. Army – Operation Enduring Freedom
Idaho – Ian Freeman – U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Illinois – Thomas Brown – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Indiana – Thomas Ray – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Iowa – John Mansfield – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Kansas – Steven Woelk – U.S. Navy – U.S.S. Pueblo Incident
Kentucky – Joseph Steele – U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Louisiana – Matthew King – U.S. Army – Operation Enduring Freedom
Maine – Daniel Contois – U.S. Marine Corps – Operation Enduring Freedom
Maine – Michael Webster – U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Massachusetts – Wayne Henry – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Minnesota – Ryan Sabinish – U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Missouri – Roger Hoehn – U.S. Marine Corps – Vietnam
Montana – Christopher Grudzinski – U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Nebraska – Maurice “Marty” Ramirez, Ph.D. – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Nevada – Vincent Palmieri, Jr. – U.S. Marine Corps – Vietnam
New Hampshire – Stewart Jackson – U.S. Army – Vietnam
New Mexico – Tyson Walsh – U.S. Army – Operation Enduring Freedom
New York – Geroge Bates – U.S. Army – Vietnam
North Carolina – Robert Cloninger – U.S. Marine Corps – Vietnam
North Dakota – Michael Goff – U.S. Air Force – Khobar Tower Bombing
Ohio – Jerry Galant – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Oklahoma – John Clipp, Sr. – U.S. Army – Operation Enduring Freedom
Oregon – Keith Wittnebel – U.S. Navy – Vietnam
Pennsylvania – Karl Spidel – U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Rhode Island – Albert Guarnieri, Jr. – U.S. Army – Vietnam
South Carolina – Jackie Drakeford – U.S. Marine Corps – Vietnam
South Dakota – Bill Flippo – U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Tennessee – Carl Parlatore – U.S. Air Force – Vietnam
Texas – Ronny Cowart – U.S. Navy – Vietnam
Virginia – Tony Nadal – U.S. Army – Vietnam
Washington – Robert Olivarez – U.S. Marine Corps – Operation Iraqi Freedom
West Virginia – James McCormick – U.S. Army – Gulf War & Operation Iraqi Freedom
Wisconsin – Timothy La Sage – U.S. Marine Corps – Operation Enduring Freedom & Operation Iraqi Freedom
Wyoming – Charles Livermont – U.S. Army – Vietnam