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07/26/2022 01:43 PMThe Board of Selectman (BOS) approved a motion to make Sunday, Aug. 7, Guilford’s Purple Heart Recognition Day, to honor the sacrifice of local veterans. Since 2014, there has been a National Purple Heart Day, but at the urging of local vets, the Town has now officially recognized the date as well.
Larry Santamaria, Commander of the Guilford VFW, was a driving force behind the Town’s recognition efforts. Sanatmaria said it was important for Guilford to officially bring awareness to the sacrifice those wounded in combat have made to the Town and country.
Sanatmaria is a Purple Heart recipient himself, having been wounded during a mission while serving in the Vietnam War, but he said personal recognition for himself was not his focus when asking the Board for recognition of the day.
“It’s important on Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day to honor our vets, but Purple Heart Day is also a national recognition day and I don’t think a lot of people know about that. I think it is important for people to honor veterans who were wounded and those who lost their lives because they get the same medal,” said Santamaria. “It’s a day that if they see a veteran, see a veteran hat or license plate, to just take a moment and thank that person for their service.”
Santamaria still bears the scars of his service and said many vets, himself included, are reluctant to talk about their service and their injuries.
“I still have those scars, but there are people out there with no legs, with PTSD, and any opportunity we get to recognize that is important for the community,” said Santamaria. “I think that many vets don’t talk to their families about it; it is hard for them to explain it. We want to protect our loved ones from that type of thing, so an event like this that allows for a vet to be recognized is great. Even though we shed blood, there are others who didn’t make it, and there is always a guilt factor with that. Why did we survive, when so many others didn’t? I don’t stand here to get praise for myself…this about all of those women and men who served and shed their blood and made that sacrifice for our country.”
According to First Selectman Matt Hoey, the recognition is the least that elected leaders could do for area veterans. Hoey said it provides residents an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices that Santamaria and all of the other Purple Heart vets and their families have endured.
“It’s important that we to take the time to remember those who gave and gave in such an extreme fashion. Too often, as Larry mentioned, we think of it on Memorial Day; we think of it on Veteran’s Day, and while those are wonderful times to pause and think about what’s going on, our vets are still often overlooked,” Hoey said. “The price that people pay for their service is sometimes forgotten, so any opportunity we get to honor those who served is worth the time and effort.”
According to the Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF), Purple Heart Day, celebrated every Aug. 7, was created as a way to give back and recognize veterans who represented their country and were wounded or killed while serving.
According to DVNF, the original Purple Heart, known as a Badge of Merit, was awarded by George Washington in 1782. The honor was presented to soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action,” and was designed with a piece of silk bound through it with a thin edge of silver. Washington only personally awarded three badges, instead authorizing subordinates to issue the badges as fit.
While the Badge of Merit faded from use, it was revived and launched in 1932 as the Purple Heart. As well as honoring those wounded in combat, the Purple Heart recognized commendable action.The policy was tweaked further in 1944, and the Purple Heart was given the purpose we know it for today: to honor those who have been wounded or died, according to the DVNF.
The first service member to be given the modern Purple Heart was General Douglas MacArthur for his service in the Pacific theater during World War II. More than been 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded.
First Selectman Matt Hoey, left, issued Guilford’s Purple Heart Day proclamation to veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Larry Santamaria. The Town will recognize the day on Sunday, Aug. 7.
Photo by Ben Rayner/The Courier