MON. AUGUST 7, 7PM
National Purple Heart Day at Veterans Park

At 7 pm on August 7 the village will recognize our two newest purple heart veterans:  Jack Makemson and Melvin V. King.  There will be a short program honoring all West Liberty purple heart veterans.  The public is invited to attend.  Please bring your own lawn chairs.

West Liberty Purple Heart Veterans

​Welcome and thank you for helping us honor these men and their families for the sacrifice they made.  Memorial Day honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.  May we take a moment of silence to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries.  Our veterans’ park/Purple Heart Memorial Park was created in 1913 by former mayor, Van B. Bailey who donated land in honor of all veterans from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War.  

On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed.

On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there.

This village has had many service members who gave their lives to protect our freedoms and we are thankful for each one of them.  Some of those fallen service members received the Purple Heart which dates back to the Revolutionary War.  

The original Purple Heart, designated as the Badge of Military Merit, was established by George Washington – then the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army – on August 7, 1782. The Badge of Military Merit was only awarded to three Revolutionary War soldiers by Washington himself. Washington authorized his subordinate officers to issue Badges of Merit as appropriate. Although never abolished, the award of the badge was not proposed again officially until after World War I.  August 7 of every year is recognized as "National Purple Heart Day.”

It is my honor to recognize eight more Purple Heart Veterans from our community. These men through their heroic acts were given this prestigious medal. As a community we appreciate their service to the country.

Memorial Day 2023

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The Village of West Liberty Purple Heart Memorial is dedicated in honor of Purple Heart recipients who resided in the 43357 zip code when he or she joined the armed forces or was drafted to defend and serve our great Country in time of war or currently reside in the 43357 zip code. We will continue to recognize all those 43357 Purple Heart Veterans that we find in the future.

Each year after the Proclamation event starting in 2023, the Village will recognize those individuals on August 7 which is National Purple Heart Day.

Please contact the Village Event Coordinator at s.barger@mywestliberty.com or 937.465.2716 with the following information: Purple Heart Veteran’s Name Rank Branch of Service Years of Service Date he/she received the Purple Heart