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A Cathedral of Courage
BY DANA “FINN” HALLFORS & WILLIAM LARES
At New Windsor Cantonment, just north of West Point, George
Washington’s troops encamped for the last time at the
close of the American Revolutionary War. To honor the service
of his men, he selected a few to receive a small purple cloth
Badge of Merit. In 1932, the new Purple Heart Medal, which
took its shape and color from Washington but added his profile,
was presented to 150 veterans of World War I on the same
grounds.
Last November, the National Purple Heart Hall of
Honor was dedicated to honor and to memorialize those veterans
who have received the Purple Heart and to record and preserve
their stories. It sits on a hill at the site of Washington’s
final encampment, now known as the New Windsor Cantonment
State Historic Site. It’s administered by the New York
State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.
What
started simply as a letter from Patric Morrison, asking why
there were no honors for Purple Heart recipients, came to
fruition last November 10 when three thousand people gathered
to dedicate the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. Hundreds
of veterans wearing their Purple Hearts were joined by their
families, fellow veterans, politicians both local and national,
and a grateful nation. Some had come from across the country.
At nine o’clock, the ribbon was cut.
VVA National President
John Rowan was there, accompanied by VVA Region 2 Director
Fred Elliott, New York State Council President Ned Foote,
NYSC Secretary Francisco Muniz, and NYSC Eastern Director
Samuel Hall.
The ceremony began as Patrick J. Douglas blew
the notes of “The
Rowan Tree and Wings” into his bagpipes. When he finished
playing, Douglas donated his bagpipes to the Hall of Honor.
He had played those pipes at more than seventy-five military
services since March 2004.
New York Gov. George Pataki and
U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton were among those who spoke
at the event. Pataki called the National Purple Heart Hall
of Honor “a beautiful
cathedral of courage.” Local State Sen. William Larkin
said: “This is to let people know that these are the
sacrifices that were made so you could live a free life.”
Sen.
Clinton promised continued federal support and recognition
for the hall. Tom Poulter, national commander of the Military
Order of the Purple Heart, asked everyone to remember “those
young men and women who gave their tomorrows so we could
have our todays.”
The 7,500-square-foot facility will
share the stories of America’s combat-wounded veterans
and those who never returned. The Hall of Honor will collect
and preserve the stories of Purple Heart recipients from
all branches and across generations. Their stories will be
preserved and shared through a series of exhibits, live and
videotaped interviews of veterans, and the Roll of Honor—an
interactive computer program detailing the stories of each
veteran. An estimated 600,000 Purple Heart recipients live
across the country.
The Hall of Honor will be the nation’s
sole repository dedicated to the preservation of these stories
of sacrifice. Visitors to the museum can search for stories
using several criteria, including name and location, or they
can take advantage of special recording booths to add their
own stories to the archive.
More than thirty thousand Purple
Hearts have been awarded since 2001. Keynote speaker U.S.
Army Lt. Gen. Steven Witcome, commander of the Third Army,
reminded those in attendance that the National Purple Heart
Hall of Honor is both historic and current. “We are
a nation in war,” he said, “against
an enemy that is both faceless and nation-less. There will
be more Purple Hearts awarded.”Ω
For more information,
contact the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, New Windsor
Cantonment State Historic Site, P.O. Box 207, 374 Temple
Hill Road, Vails Gate, NY 12584; telephone 845-561-1765,
or visit the website, www.nysparks.com/heritage/purple_hrt.asp
Upcoming activities include an August 7 celebration of the
225th anniversary of the Badge of Military Merit.
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