Aiken County residents honor recipients of the Purple Heart
"All Gave Some ... Some Gave All" is the motto of the National Military Order of The Purple Heart (MOPH). The motto means that all gave some and were wounded in combat while some gave all and were killed in combat in the defense of our country.
On Feb. 20, on a beautiful sun-baked afternoon, a Purple Heart Ceremony was held at the Midland Valley-Horse Creek Veterans Memorial Park on Highway 421 in Burnettown. On this day, Aiken County and area residents paused to honor those who wore the cloth of our country and have borne the brunt of battle to protect our way of life. The ceremony was proudly presented by the Cpl. Matthew Dillon Memorial Chapter of The Purple Heart No. 2005. Dillon, USMC, was killed in action on Dec. 11, 2006, while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq.
Guests speakers for the ceremony were Command Sgt. Maj. (retired) Stanley Thournburgh, USA, and Maj. Gen. Robert Livingston, USA.
Thournburgh reminded those present, "On this day, we recognize that all veterans have given something of themselves to this country, and some have given all - laying down their lives to defend the freedoms we hold so dear. We honor here today these great veterans who have sustained wounds and those who have given their lives in the defense of liberty. To our Purple Heart recipients and to all veterans, I have a simple yet heartfelt message - thank you, all of you, for your service. I want you to know that your example serves to inspire others who follow in your footsteps. Thank you for your selfless service in peacetime and war, here in this nation and throughout the world. Thank you, regardless of your service and the era in which you have served, for you have paid a price for the freedom we enjoy."
Livingston reminded those present, "With the Global War on Terrorism, our military confronts an enemy with the same vigor our veterans here today have always displayed. The horror of Sept. 11 demonstrated to us that we cannot take our past peace and prosperity for granted. But our veterans here today already knew this. They know our nation was founded, not on the guarantees of the past, but the promise of the future. They know that freedom isn't free and that eternal vigilance is the price we must always pay for our liberty. What we must resolve is to now keep faith with our veterans, our military and their families as this nation fights and wins the Global War on Terrorism."
The Cpl. Matthew Dillon Memorial Chapter MOPH No. 2005 extends a special thank you to the following organizations for their support and participation in the ceremony: the Patriot Guard Riders and American Legion Riders, Burnettown Police Department, Mayor Williams and The Burnettown Council, David Hasting, Midland Valley High School band director, Chief Sweat, USN, Commander, Midland Valley High School NJROTC, CSRA Young Marines and the Aiken County Veterans Council.
Upcoming MOPH events include "Dinner For Two" (cocktail hour at 6:30, dinner at 7:30 and nine drawings with a grand prize of $1,000 award) on May 8 at the National Guard Armory on Bettis Academy Road in Graniteville. Guest speaker will be Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston (retired), USMC. Livingston was awarded the Medal of Honor on May 14, 1970, by President Richard Nixon. He retired from the Marine Corps as a major general in 1995. After retirement, he served as chairman of the board of the National D-Day Museum. He is a trustee and board member of that museum.
Fundraiser tickets for "Dinner For Two" are $100 (tax-free donation) and may be purchased from MOPH Chapter Commander Clarence Palmer by calling 215-5442 or e-mailing old12bravo@Gmail.com; proceeds will go to the Cpl. Matthew Dillon Memorial Chapter MOPH No. 2005.
The Cpl. Matthew Dillon Memorial Chapter MOPH No. 2005 officers and members welcome applications for membership to all area Purple Heart recipients and associate members (immediate families and lineage descendants of Purple Heart recipients). Chapter meetings are held at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month at the VFW Post No. 10601, 250 Hudson Road. Information on membership application may be directed to Commander Clarence Palmer.