Beech Tree News Network

Morgantown became the 43rd Purple Heart City and Butler County became the 44th Purple Heart County in Kentucky on Wednesday, August 7. The ceremony was held at the Eva J. Hawes Community Building by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5837 Ladies Auxiliary and the Butler County National Society Daughters of the America Revolution.
Morgantown Mayor Linda Keown and Butler County Judge Executive David Fields signed proclamations declaring the Purple Heart status for the city and county.

Mr. Irvin Lyons Jr., Military Order of the Purple Heart State Commander, was the keynote speaker.  The Florida native was stationed at Fort Knox and currently lives in Vine Grove, Kentucky.  Lyons, a double Purple Heart recipient, shared his goal of Kentucky having 420 Purple Heart Communities.
“I am a one man show and have traveled over 5,000 miles across Kentucky prompting the Purple Heart Program,” said Lyons.
According to Lyons he learned of the program from California and asked, “Why not Kentucky?  He  pays for the signs, which are placed in each Purple Heart City.  

“There are Purple Heart Cities as far east as Ashland, as far west as Paducah, as far south as Corbin and as far north as Florence, Kentucky,” stated Lyons.
 “I love the military and will continue to serve until I take my last breath,” added Lyons.
Lynda Knight, president of the Ladies Auxiliary welcomed the crowd followed by the invocation by Brother Roger Taylor of Aberdeen Baptist Church, and Lois Russ, Butler County NSDAR flag chairman, led the pledge.  Doug Odle sung the National Anthem.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Jane Eaton- Henderson, of the Butler County NSDAR, gave a very vivid account of her recent trip to Gettysburg where she viewed the painting  of French artist Paul Dominique Philippoteaux. It depicts "Pickett's Charge", the failed infantry assault that was the climax of the Battle of Gettysburg. The painting is a cyclorama, a type of 360° cylindrical painting. The intended effect is to immerse the viewer in the scene being depicted, often with the addition of foreground models and life-sized replicas to enhance the illusion.

Pictured above is the framed Purple Heart of the late Thurman Tolbert Embry provided by his daughter, Butler County Clerk, Shirley E. Givens who attended the ceremony and accepted the certificate in honor of her father.

Vietnam Veteran, Doug Odle announced the Purple Heart Recipients:
World War II
James C. Abbott
Joe Abbott
Blumer Thomas Aibin
Duron Usher Baxter
Roy G. Baxter
Denver Bellies
J.C. Brooks
Willie L. Brooks
Lonnie Brown
Sanford Brown
Walter Sherman Campfield
Preston Cardwell
Owen Carpenter
Calvin Coolidge Christie
Walter Chyle Jr.
Jimmy John Coleman
Haden Combs
James Greg Drake
Thurman Tolbert Embry
Veldon Palestine Embry
Murtranious H. Embry
Joseph John Fedrowiez
Reathel Chester  Flener
Ray Glenn Forgy
Boyd Fuller
Paul Kenneth Givens
Shelby Carlie Givens
William C. Greene Jr.
Justice E. Hawks
Jessie Hazel
Maburn B. Hudnall
Logan Hunt
Edie Osco Ingram
Ernest Clayton Johnson
Essie Johnson
Paul W. Jones
Clayton Kessinger
Oscar Allen Kessinger
Otis Earl Kessinger
Denzil King
James Edward Kinkade
Claude Willis Lee
Odle M. Lee
Jesse Willard Martin
Robert Cardwell Martin
Robert Edward Martin
Drexel McCoy
William Edward McCoy
William Grafton McCoy
J.V. McKinney
Julian Jack Moore
Gettie Morris
Edward Odle
Thurman R. Peay
Vernon Mack Pendley
James Eugene Phelps
Orville Phelps
George Warden Romans
John R. Sweets
Henry B. Threlkel
John Paul Trumbo
Clay Tuck
Austin House Vance
Leroy Von Cannon
Loyed Cook Wester
Everett White
Roger Dale Worley
Korea
Hugh Hunt
Lewis Orange
Durward White
Vietnam
Roger Brooks
Roger Hankins
William Eddie Hocker
Gary Bennett Hunt
Don Jenkins
Bobby Keown
Dwight Moore

Sharone Nash
Kibby Sherman Norris
Gary Phelps Sr.
Jeremy Shain
Jimmy Sherrill
Ricky L. Tarrance
Ronnie Tarrance
Cecil Clifton West Jr.
Afghanistan
Gary L. Wolfenbarger

The award known as the Purple Heart has a history that reaches back to the waning days of the American Revolution. The Continental Congress had forbidden General George Washington from granting commissions and promotions in rank to recognize merit. Yet Washington wanted to honor merit, particularly among the enlisted soldiers. On August 7, 1782, his general orders established the Badge of Military Merit:
"... The General ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers, as well as to foster and encourage every species of Military merit directs whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings, over his left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk edged with narrow lace or binding."
This award was open only to enlisted men and granted them the distinction of being permitted to pass all guards and sentinels as could commissioned-officers. The names of the recipients were to have been kept in a "Book of Merit" (which has never been recovered). At the present time there are three known recipients of the Badge of Military Merit: Sergeant Elijah Churchill, 2nd Continental Dragoons; Sergeant William Brown, 5th and Sergeant Daniel Bissel, 2nd Connecticut Continental Line Infantry.
Washington stated that the award was to be a permanent one, but once the Revolution ended, the Badge of Merit was all but forgotten until the 20th century.
General John J. "Blackjack" Pershing suggested a need for an award for merit in 1918, but it was not until 1932 that the Purple Heart was created in recognition of Washington's ideals and for the bicentennial of his birth. General Order No.3 announced the establishment of the award:
"...By order of the President of the United States, the Purple Heart, established by General George Washington at Newburgh, August 7, 1782, during the War of the Revolution is hereby revived out of respect to his memory and military achievements.
By order of the Secretary of War: Douglas MacArthur, General, Chief of Staff
On May 28, 1932, 138 World War I veterans were conferred their Purple Hearts at Temple Hill, in New Windsor, NY. Temple Hill was the site of the New Windsor Cantonment, which was the final encampment of the Continental Army in the winter of 1782-1783. Today, the National Purple Heart continues the tradition begun here in 1932, of honoring veterans who have earned the Purple Heart.
The Purple Heart has undergone many changes with respect to the criteria for being awarded. At first, the Purple Heart was exclusively awarded to Army and Army Air Corps personnel and could not be awarded posthumously to the next of kin. In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order allowing the Navy to award the Purple Heart to Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guard personnel. Also in that year, the Purple Heart was made available for posthumous award to any member of the military killed on or after December 7, 1941.
Originally the Purple Heart was awarded for meritorious service. Being wounded was one portion of consideration for merit. With the creation of the Legion of Merit in 1942, the award of the Purple Heart for meritorious service became unnecessary and was therefore discontinued. The Purple Heart, per regulation is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after April 5, 1917 has been wounded, killed, or has died after being wounded.