The Post & Courier: National Purple Heart Day: facts and figures, including South Carolina
Former Marine Cpl. Jackie Drakeford, a Fort Mill veteran, was selected to represent fellow Purple Heart recipients from South Carolina in New York this spring as part of the annual Purple Heart Patriot Project, a program of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. Included among Patriot Project events were historic sites visits to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; a private tour of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor; Washington's Revolutionary War headquarters in Newburgh, N.Y., where he established the Badge of Military Merit; and the 9/11 Memorial in New York City.
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Statement: On National Purple Heart Day, Americans Should Pause to Salute Service and Sacrifice, Honor Iran War Purple Heart Heroes
As the nation continues to celebrate 250 years since its founding, Americans acknowledge that our resiliency would not have been possible without the sacrifice of our 1.8 million-plus Purple Heart recipients. Across generations and continents, everyday Americans, of all backgrounds, have stepped forward to answer their country’s call to duty to defend liberty and freedom from the darkness of Nazism, communism, fascism and terrorism. They gave their lives or bore the physical and emotional scars of war for a lifetime.
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MOAA: Legacy of the Purple Heart Hits the Road
The conflict in Vietnam had been raging for about a decade when George Stavropoulos enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He deployed to the war zone on April 23, 1967, and set out on his first patrol the next day.
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Medina Weekly News: Purple Heart returns home after 58 years
In the process of cleaning out an apartment in Dallas, a medal surfaced, alerting the cleaner to something special. It was a Purple Heart apparently awarded to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Curtis R. Patton for his service with the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam. Patton, 26, along with 20 others in his unit, was killed in action Feb. 4, 1968.
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ABC 5 Cleveland: Family Reunited with Lost Purple Heart
News 5 anchor Rob Powers was in Chippewa Lake, Ohio, for the return of Staff Sergeant Curtis Patton's Purple Heart, which had been lost for nearly six decades and was recently discovered in Texas.
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Medina Gazette: Lost Purple Heart returned to family of Vietnam War soldier nearly 60 years later
Nearly six decades after Staff Sgt. Curtis R. Patton was killed in Vietnam, his Purple Heart has been returned to his family. Patton’s sister, Faye Wilcox, and brother, Jerry Patton, accepted the medal on Monday during a ceremony at Chippewa Lake Yacht Club, attended by family members, veterans and representatives of the Purple Heart Honor Mission.
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Akron Beacon Journal: Lost 'Purple Heart' returns to Wayne County sibling of Vietnam War hero
Patton was just 26 when he died, leaving behind a young wife. His family lived in a small Virginia coal town where he grew up.
The years passed by and his family eventually lost touch with his wife. And then around Memorial Day this year, the family got an unexpected call. It was from the National Purple Heart Honor Mission.
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19 News: Purple Heart medal returned to Vietnam veteran’s family after nearly 60 years
The family of Staff Sgt. Curtis Patton gathered this week to receive a Purple Heart medal that had been missing for nearly 60 years — a reunion made possible by a stranger’s discovery in a Texas apartment.
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MOAA: Purple Heart Recipients Receive Honors During ‘the Trip of a Lifetime’
A select group of Purple Heart recipients gathered in New York in April for a three-day event honoring their sacrifices to the nation.
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Lancaster Online: 'Like family': Lititz Purple Heart vet reps Pennsylvania in honor trip across New York
Spidel and his wife, Tracy Spidel, spent the morning of April 27, a Monday, driving the 3 1/2 hours to the Hampton Inn in Newburgh. Spidel packed a few VFW sweatshirts, button-up shirts, loungewear and jeans. He forgot his slacks. Spidel’s daily naps, which he takes religiously at 1 p.m., were an impossibility.
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Newsmax TV America Right Now: Honoring Those Lost on Memorial Day with 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project Mission Honoree John Mansfield
Iowa's honoree during the 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project Mission, U.S. Army Col. John Mansfield (Ret.), joined NEWSMAX TV's America Right Now with Tom Basile to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day and how he remembers those who served alongside him.
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KTIV: Retired Sioux City veteran recognized at Purple Heart Patriot Project in New York City
Retired U.S. Army Col. John Mansfield, from Sioux City, was recognized as one of many honorees, chosen for a multi-day event in New York City, honoring both “courage and sacrifice of America’s combat wounded.”
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Times Union: Duty Calls: Vietnam veteran to represent New York heroes
A former 25th Infantry Division soldier who served in the Vietnam War has been selected to be one of our nation’s 40 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project honorees.
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Sioux City Journal: Sioux City Purple Heart recipient honored to meet other wounded vets
When combat veterans share their experiences with one another, their individual stories might be different, but very similar at the same time.
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Charleston Gazette-Mail: 3 Time Purple Heart Recipient from Mason County to Represent WV
Three-time Purple Heart recipient James McCormick will represent West Virginia at the 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project April 27-May 1 in New York.
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Broadway World: Jason Tramm, MidAtlantic Philharmonic Orchestra to Headline CONCERT FOR AMERICA'S HEROES
As the celebration of America's 250th birthday continues, Purple Heart heroes from across the nation will come together in New York's historic Hudson Valley for a special tribute concert this April.
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Press Release: Resorts World Gives Salutes America's Purple Heart Heroes with Sponsorship of the 2026 Patriot Project
Resorts World Catskills and Resorts World Hudson Valley are honoring America’s combat wounded as America celebrates its 250th birthday with a $10,000 sponsorship of the 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project.
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WTEN: Service & Sacrifice – Purple Heart Patriot Project Mission
WTEN’s Ryan Peterson talks to Purple Heart recipients Richard Lay and Dan Clarino about the 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project Mission.
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