Vietnam Veteran Receives Purple Heart 57 Years Later

July 2, 2026 | By Army Sgt. Katherine Devereaux, Office of the Chief of Army Reserve |

Fifty-seven years after Spec. 4 Raymond Williams was wounded in Vietnam, one Army Reserve noncommissioned officer made sure he finally had his moment.

For then-19-year-old Williams, 1969 was shaping up to be a year to forget before it even began. On Dec. 31, 1968, the young infantryman was being loaded onto a helicopter and evacuated out of the jungle with wounds that would take more than half a century to heal. 

A year earlier, almost to the day, Williams walked into a recruiting station and raised his right hand. He completed basic training, earned his paratrooper wings and soon became the M60 gunner for his unit, Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade. It was the weapon he carried into the Central Highlands of Vietnam, where Williams found himself in what he called "a small firefight." 

"I just remember getting shot in the arm first, then the shoulder. I was trying to carry on, but my right arm was just hanging," Williams said. "I did the best I could." 

Military records confirm what happened; at approximately 10 a.m., local time, near the town of An Khe, Vietnam, an enemy AK-47 round tore through his right arm. The round fractured the bone in two places and lacerated the nerve leading to his forearm and thumb. 

Eight months later and permanently disabled from his combat wounds, Williams medically retired from the Army. 

"I remember getting on the chopper, and I didn't want to leave," he said. "I did not want to leave." 

Back home, Williams built a life. He worked as a pressman at the Easter Seals printing press, married and raised three children. Life was good — but the war never fully lost its grip. 

"The [Department of Veterans Affairs] was never prepared for us," he said. "We stood outside in a line in the ice-cold to get into the hospital because they just weren't ready. But it was just what it was." 

Williams rarely spoke of the war. Like many veterans of that era, he battled with depression and did his best to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder, long before it had a name. 

"It was a tough, unpopular war — coming home was tough," he said. "Nobody wanted to talk. You kind of bury it." 

Years passed; his family learned not to bring it up. Then, in 2025, Williams decided it was time. 

At 77, while in the hospital, Williams told his daughter Kelly he wanted to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial — and finally receive the Purple Heart he had earned but never been awarded. 

Kelly Williams filed the paperwork with the National Personnel Records Center. Weeks later, she received confirmation. When the medal arrived in May, she contacted the Army to ask whether her father could receive it during their trip to Washington. She hoped it could be a surprise. 

It was a long shot. The family was deep into their travel plans from New Hampshire, and time was short. 

Army Master Sgt. Virginia Crutchfield was working at the Pentagon when the request came through — and immediately knew she had to make it happen. 

Crutchfield was on a yearlong tour coordinating Medal of Honor ceremonies; Purple Heart presentations were not in her lane. She had just nine days to pull it together, and the team shifted workloads so she could take on the mission. She handled every detail — from securing Pentagon space to arranging homemade brownies and cake. She said she was driven by an understanding of what soldiers of Williams' generation faced when they came home — the silence, the stigma, the lack of welcome — it drove her to make the moment right. 

"When I go out, people see me in uniform and say, 'thank you for your service,' with a smile; sometimes with a hug. In their time, they didn't," Crutchfield said, her voice breaking. "It touched me. They go out and fight for us to remain free. It's the least we could do." 

On the morning of the ceremony, Williams arrived expecting a tour. He and his family — daughter Kelly, sons Eric and Mark, and grandson Fynn — were escorted through the Pentagon to a corridor junction where a crowd had gathered: unfamiliar faces, soldiers in uniform and Crutchfield.

That's when he realized what was happening. Overwhelmed, he took Crutchfield's hand. 

"All he could say was, 'You, you … you got me,'" she recalled, replying, "Sir, you did this. We are honored to do this for you." 

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Phillip Churn Sr., Army Reserve ambassador, presented the award.  

"The Purple Heart is not an award soldiers seek," Churn said. "It is … earned through blood, sacrifice and an unyielding commitment to the defense of this nation. Today, we correct the record. Today, we pin this medal where it has always belonged — on the chest of a paratrooper who gave his blood for our freedom." 

Fynn Williams, 8, had practiced his speech for weeks while keeping the secret from his grandfather. 

"There are some things in life that should never be lost," Fynn said. "Especially honor, sacrifice and courage. Years ago, you earned this through your service and sacrifice for our country. Even though the medal was gone, what it represents never was. We wanted to make sure it found its way back home, to where it belongs."

"We are proud of you. We are grateful for you. We love you, Papa."

For Kelly Williams, the ceremony was about more than just a medal. 

"It is about ensuring that his story, his service and his legacy are remembered," she said. "We have hope that today provides our father with a measure of peace." 

Williams had one word to describe the ceremony: "closure." 

"It never goes away," he said of the memories that still haunt him. "But it's a step in the right direction. This is probably good closure now. I feel like it's all out in the open." 

"I feel good now; I feel good today. This is good," he added.

Hegseth Presents Purple Heart to Soldier, Emphasizes Honoring Heroes

Dec. 2, 2025 | By Matthew Olay, Pentagon News |

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth presented a soldier with the esteemed Purple Heart during a brief ceremony attended by just under two dozen service members and civilians in an aircraft hangar at the Dominican Republic's San Ysidro Air Base, Nov. 27.

Army Master Sgt. Amy Vreeland qualified for the award as a result of a mild traumatic brain injury she suffered while deployed to Afghanistan in 2019. However, an administrative backlog resulted in her not receiving the award until January 2023 — roughly three and a half years after she sustained her injury. 

To make matters worse, the award was mailed to her instead of being presented.  

Prior to pinning the Purple Heart on Vreeland, Hegseth made clear that such stories are very relatable to him.  

He then spoke about an Army infantry leader of his in Iraq years earlier who, despite having shown great bravery and valor in combat, received his award — a Silver Star — in the mail, much like Vreeland. 

"And I remember how much that kind of stung him. … And it stuck with me," Hegseth said. 

He then explained that, since assuming the top leadership role at the Pentagon in January, his philosophy is that all awards based on valor should be presented in person, regardless of the unit the awardee is attached to or where in the world they are stationed.

"Wherever you are, someone [should take] the time. It doesn't have to be a big ceremony; it could be something intimate like this," Hegseth said, noting that what's most important is that commands take the time to "recognize heroism [and] recognize excellence" in person.  

"Thank you, sir, for being here today; it's truly an honor that you have … taken your Thanksgiving to be here," Vreeland told Hegseth after he presented her with the Purple Heart. "I am truly humbled that you would take time out of your day to come here and recognize me. Thank you very much."   

Hegseth noted that the origin of the decoration — the oldest military device still given to military members — dates back to George Washington and the Revolutionary War. 

"So, it's as old as our country," Hegseth said of the Purple Heart, before reemphasizing the importance of presenting the decoration to Vreeland in person. 

"And I hope you'll do the same in your units," he told those in attendance. 

Vreeland continues to serve on active duty after 20 years of service despite ongoing complications from her injury. 

Marine Veteran Dies While Rescuing Trapped Coal Miners

Nov. 19, 2025 | By David Vergun, Pentagon News |

Marine Corps combat veteran Steven M. Lipscomb lost his life, Nov. 8, while looking after the safety of his crew at the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County, West Virginia.

"All of West Virginia mourns the loss of this courageous man," said West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey in a Nov. 14 proclamation, which also ordered state flags flown at half-staff. "He spent his final moments ensuring his men could escape to safety." 

During routine operations at the coal mine, a crew encountered a sudden and substantial inflow of water, said a report from the mine's owner. Lipscomb was last seen attempting to ensure the safety of his crew but was unable to reach safety himself. All other miners in the area evacuated safely. 

"Lipscomb, the foreman, stood his ground until every member of his crew was evacuated. The water filled the shaft, making escape impossible. For five days, crews worked around the clock to rescue Lipscomb, but sadly, he did not survive," Morrisey said. 

"Our coal miners represent some of the most courageous among us, and Steve was a testament to that," the governor added. 

Lipscomb participated in the First Battle of Fallujah in Iraq, which began April 4, 2004, according to his obituary. He was wounded in Iraq seven days later, when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb, said Heather Lipscomb, his wife of 20 years. 

The corporal was medically discharged May 1, 2005, as a result of his extensive injuries, she said, adding that they wed as soon as he returned to their hometown of Elkview, West Virginia. 

"Retired Marine Steve Lipscomb represents the best of our American military and embodies the hero spirit. This Purple Heart recipient and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran protected his nation and community until the very last day," said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

"Steve's life will forever be an example of service and sacrifice for myself and for all who serve. My prayers remain with the Lipscomb family; your father, husband and son will never be forgotten," Hegseth said. 

"A great American. Semper Fi, Steve," wrote Vice President JD Vance on his social media account. Vance is also a Marine veteran. Semper Fi is short for Semper Fidelis, Latin for Always Faithful, the Marine Corps motto. 

Lipscomb enlisted in the infantry as a rifleman on Feb. 25, 2002, shortly after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. 

"I think Steven was a very selfless person. He had 17 men on his crew in the coal mines. He was more worried about everybody else getting out and getting to safety, more than he was concerned about himself," Heather Lipscomb said. 

She said she credits his Marine training with preparing him for the arduous rescue task, even if it meant sacrificing his own life. 

Steven Lipscomb began his mining career in 2006, working alongside his brother, Joseph, according to his obituary. "Steve built a distinguished career and earned the deep respect of his fellow miners, working his way up to become a foreman in 2015," it reads. 

Lipscomb's awards include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. 

He is survived by his wife, two daughters, ages 13 and 17, as well as a sister, a brother and a sister-in-law.

World War I Centennial Commission Seeks National Memorial

By Amaani Lyle

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 22, 2015 – Members of the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission met yesterday with members of Congress to bolster support for commemorating the war through education and enduring observance of Americans’ sacrifices that shaped the modern world.

Retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, three-time Purple Heart recipient and the commission’s senior advisor for development, noted that while some 2.5 million veterans served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the armed forces have a much longer, storied journey and a seminal role in American history.

“This nation is primarily [one] of business, human rights, families and religious groups,” the retired general said. “But at the end of the day, the only reason it persists after 200-plus years is the armed forces. [They] were created before the country existed.”

Core Project

The commission’s core project is to establish and manage the design, competition, selection and construction process for the World War I Memorial in the nation’s capital, with a goal to break ground on Veterans Day 2017 and hold the official dedication in 2018.

“Many decades have passed since the guns fell silent,” said retired Army Col. Robert J. Dalessandro, the commission’s chairman and the host for yesterday’s event. “The parades and the memorials have become a dim memory in many cases -- and before long, the doughboys themselves and the folks back home became a forgotten generation of Americans.”

In some cases, Dalessandro said, World War I service members’ lives were sold cheaply, and their notions of idealism became seemingly quaint by today’s standards. “But they bridged the gap between the Gilded Era and the Jazz Age,” he said. “They watched the fall of empires in bewildered awe, and they dreadfully witnessed the rise of communism, of fascism, of Nazism, while birthing that Greatest Generation.”

With a father who fought in Italy and uncles who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and Java Sea during World War II, McCaffrey acknowledged the rightful respect for their generation. But he urged current veterans to remember that America emerged as a world power in World War I.

U.S. Service Members Ended World War I

“A lot of times you read in history that [U.S. troops] came in at the tail end of the war and won it due to a psychological factor,” McCaffrey said. “It wasn’t psychological. This ended the war -- the American engagement -- and brought tremendous power to the U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors.

McCaffrey estimated the memorial would cost between $20 million and $25 million.

Congress created the World War I Centennial Commission in 2013 and gave it permission to use appropriated funds, but the commission was never provided with an appropriation.

Face of Defense: Homegrown Hero Receives Purple Heart

By Marine Corps Cpl. James Clark

2nd Marine Expeditionary Force

LUMBERTON, N.C., March 29, 2012 – A grove of dark green slacks ending in immaculately shined dress shoes stands at rigid attention. Vibrant dress jackets adorned with a collection of medals and ribbons add a dash of color, like budding apples in an orchard. Each right shoulder bears a patch, modest in color and unassuming, which reads “JROTC.”

The Junior ROTC cadets – students at Lumberton High School here, stood in their campus auditorium. Their eyes rose toward a uniformed figure on stage, but he was not a student, although he once was. He wore the same outfit as the students during that time – until he graduated, and months later, donned the uniform of a United States Marine.

Matt Ellis, a former sergeant in the Marine Corps, received his second Purple Heart in a ceremony at his old high school for injuries he suffered in an improvised explosive device strike during his second deployment in 2009 and 2010, where he served in Marjah, Afghanistan. Ellis graduated from Lumberton High School in 2007.

“I wanted the military experience, and it’s helped me a lot in life,” said Ellis, who attributes much of his drive to enlist to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. “I was in my seventh grade science class when it happened, and at that moment I decided I wanted to go into the military. I graduated a year early from high school and joined at 17. I wanted to go to combat, and the Marines were the first to fight.”

Years later, when Ellis first was injured during operations to clear the Taliban-held city of Marjah, he was faced with what some would view as a difficult choice: to return home to receive further treatment for his wounds or return to his unit and tough it out. Ellis chose the latter.

“It’s just something Marines do,” said Ellis. “We had a five-man truck team, and I was the vehicle commander. One man missing can slow down the battle tempo, and it’s just one of those things where you feel you need to be there with your boys. If something happens, you don’t want to feel it was because you got hurt.”

Ellis, who now serves as a deputy sheriff for Hoke County, said he views his military time and now, his civil service time, not as a means to an end, but rather as a gratifying experience in and of itself.

“I wanted to find another way to continue serving,” he said. “I felt that law enforcement would be a good window to transfer over. I felt I could physically do it, and therefore felt it was something I should do.”

William Brown, a former lance corporal who served alongside Ellis during their deployment to Marjah and was with Ellis through both of his injuries, commented on Ellis’ selfless nature.

“[He] provided a great service to his country, and now he’s [home] and he’s still providing service, now to his county,” said Brown, who has been friends with Ellis since they graduated from boot camp in 2007 and were both assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.

“He’s continuing that legacy of honor, courage and commitment,” Brown continued. “I think it speaks for his character. He got blown up twice, yet he still wants to serve others. It shows what kind of person he is, what kind of man he is. People should strive to be like him.”

Navy Updates Purple Heart Award Policy

From Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- In response to advances in the diagnosis and treatment of mild traumatic brain injuries, the secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) discussed updates to the standards and procedures for awarding the Purple Heart Dec. 15, one of the military's most recognized awards.

"In light of recent research, military neurologists have discovered the scope of mild traumatic brain injuries is wider than previously thought," said SECNAV Ray Mabus. "Wounds suffered while defending our nation, whether seen or unseen, deserve our utmost gratitude and respect."

The standards provided in the ALNAV message are consistent with historic standards and previous awards of the Purple Heart since World War II, when the award was first authorized for the Navy and Marine Corps.

"Sailors and Marines may be awarded the Purple Heart for certain mild traumatic brain injuries that were caused by enemy action" explained Jim Nierle, president, Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals. "If they suffered a loss of consciousness, or had to be given the disposition of 'not fit for full duty' by a medical officer for a period greater than 48 hours after a concussive event, they may qualify for the Purple Heart."

Purple Hearts awarded for MTBI will continue to meet the historical standards of severity applied to all types of wounds, ensuring the prestige of the award is maintained. Applying these standards to MTBI, the concussive event must have been caused either directly or indirectly by an enemy action with intent to kill or maim.

To learn more about Purple Heart award standards and procedures, read ALNAV 079/11.

Face of Defense: Marine Gives Back to Community

By Marine Corps Cpl. Andrew D. Johnston
2nd Marine Division

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., Nov. 25, 2011 – An active duty Marine Corps noncommissioned officer was recognized for his outstanding service to the city of Jacksonville, N.C., during a Nov. 22 ceremony at the municipality’s town hall.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Daniel G. Stoy, assigned here to the 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, received a standing ovation when he received the city’s Outstanding Veterans Award.

Stoy, who earned three Purple Hearts from wounds he received in the War in Iraq, serves as the sergeant-at-arms for the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Beirut Memorial Chapter 642.

 “Each of the different veteran chapters here in Jacksonville was allowed to put up one nominee for the award, which is basically for your service in the community,” said Stoy, who hails from Hudson Falls, N.Y. “This the first time that The Military Order Of The Purple Heart has had an active duty member up for the award in two or three years.

“Basically [the award is for] all of the volunteer work I’ve done after the tornados hit,” he added. “I had my whole [team] out there working with me.”

Some tornados struck the Jacksonville area in late summer, Stoy said, destroying homes and leveling businesses. He gathered up a group of Marines to help out.

“If there is any time that we need help, Staff Sgt. Stoy always gets his troops for us,” said Verl H. Matthews, senior vice commander of the local Purple Heart Chapter. “He asks for volunteers and he and his guys always come and help.

“These guys are some of the hardest workers,” Matthews continued, “and I just got done signing about 20 appreciation letters this morning. He has just done so much for us and the community.”

Stoy, a married father of three children, said he juggles his duties as a Marine, a community volunteer and husband. He said his wife makes it all work.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support of my wonderful wife,” Stoy said. “She has fully supported me in everything. She’s here taking care of the home front while I’m out volunteering. It’s that basic love and your basic husband and wife support -- she has been great.”

Stoy said was very humbled to receive the award. He attributes his love for community service to his late father.

“It feels good to be honored like this because my father, who just passed in October, always used to tell us, ‘What you give is what you get,’ so it meant a lot to get it," Stoy said. “Between the balance of work and the balance of volunteering it was tough. But just being able to see the looks on people’s faces, when you’re out there helping just makes it all worth it in the end.”

Face of Defense: Marine Recalls Bomb Blast

By Marine Corps Cpl. Walter D. Marino II
2nd Marine Division

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., Oct. 25, 2011 – As a teenager working on farms and in construction in his hometown of Urbana, Ohio, Marine Corps Capt. Chase B. Wheeler never thought he’d one day be a Marine combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient.

Wheeler’s blue-collar work ethic gave him the drive to work hard. After high school, he earned a degree in construction management and mining. It was while playing football for Morehead State University that Wheeler decided he wanted to fight for the United States.

“I didn’t want to be 55 saying, ‘I wish I would have done this.’ It was my obligation to fight for my country, because there was a fight to be had,” said Wheeler, executive officer of Company C, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division here.

Military service runs in Wheeler’s family. His father served as an Army staff sergeant. His grandfather is a World War II veteran, and his great-grandfather fought in the Spanish-American War.

“Being around veterans -- it was kind of set I would serve in some sort,” Wheeler said.

In Afghanistan, Wheeler led Marines in clearing roadside bombs from convoy routes and building combat outposts. While on patrol during his first deployment, Wheeler was wounded by an improvised explosive device blast.

“I’m fortunate to be alive,” he said. “Makes you realize the importance in life -- family and friends.”

Wheeler’s fighting spirit was undiminished. In February 2011, Wheeler deployed again with 2nd CEB.

Marine Corps Capt. John E. Shubeck, Wheeler’s company commander, noticed Wheeler’s courage during one mission in particular.

“We were in combat during the whole operation,” Shubeck said. “Multiple times he stood out from the side of a vehicle with binoculars to draw fire behind tree lines and determine where the fire was coming from. It was successful. We were able to bring air [support] on station and break up the enemy assault.”

Wheeler’s father and fellow Marines from Afghanistan were present Oct. 3 when he was awarded the Purple Heart and promoted to captain.

Obama Awards Medal of Honor to Army Ranger

By Lisa Daniel

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2011 – President Barack Obama today awarded the country’s highest military honor to Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry, an Army Ranger who was shot in both legs and had his hand blown off while saving his fellow soldiers during a firefight in Afghanistan.

Petry became only the second living veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars to receive the award, which Obama presented during a White House ceremony attended by Petry, his wife and four children, and more than a hundred of his family members, mostly from his native New Mexico.

Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, Army Secretary John M. McHugh and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Martin E. Dempsey also attended the ceremony, as did the members of the legendary Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, with which Petry served.

Calling Petry, 31, “a true hero,” Obama recounted how the soldier was on his seventh combat deployment in Afghanistan on May 26, 2008, when he took part in a high-risk daytime operation to capture an insurgent leader in a compound in Paktia province, near the Pakistan border.

As helicopters delivered Petry and the other Rangers into the area, they were met with heavy automatic weapons fire. Petry and Sgt. Lucas Robinson were wounded as they moved to secure a back courtyard. The two found cover behind a chicken coop and were joined by Sgt. Daniel Higgins, a team leader, who was assessing their wounds when an enemy grenade injured Robinson and Higgins.

Two more Rangers, Staff Sgt. James Roberts and Spc. Christopher Gathercole, came to help just as another grenade was lobbed at the unit.

“Every human impulse would tell a person to turn away,” Obama said. “Every soldier is trained to seek cover. That’s what Sergeant Petry could have done.” Instead, he said, Petry did something extraordinary: he picked up the grenade to throw it back.

“What compels a person to risk everything so that others might live?” the president asked. He said the “roots of Leroy’s valor are all around us” in the presence of his parents, four brothers, and other family members. Obama said Petry answered the question while meeting with him before the ceremony, saying that his fellow soldiers are his brothers, and he protected them just as he would his family.

“With that selfless act, Leroy saved two of his Ranger brothers, and they are with us today,” he said.

Petry, shot in both legs by assault-rifle fire, picked up the grenade to throw it back at the enemy, and it detonated, amputating his right hand. Still, Obama said, Petry “remained calm, put on his own tourniquet, and continued to lead, even telling medics how to treat his wounds.”

Today, Petry has a small plaque attached to his prosthetic arm with names of the 75th Regiment’s fallen, including Gathercole, who was killed in the operation for which Petry was honored. Obama paid tribute to Gathercole’s family at today’s ceremony.

“Leroy Petry shows us that true heroes still exist, and they are closer than you think,” the president said. “There are heroes all around us. They are the millions in uniform who have served for the past 10 years.” They are the force behind the force, the president added, citing Ashley Petry, who kept their family “Army strong” while her husband was deployed.

Petry, who enlisted in 1999 and also served two deployments in Iraq, could have retired with honors. Instead, Obama said, he chose to re-enlist indefinitely, and recently completed his eighth deployment in Afghanistan, despite continuing to struggle with his wounds.

“His service speaks to the very essence of America: no matter how hard the journey, no matter how steep the climb, we don’t give up,” the president said.