Purple Heart

Photo By Timothy Koster | Sgt. 1st Class Paul M. Dimond received the Purple Heart Medal March 28, 2014, for injuries he sustained from an improvised explosive device which was detonated five meters from him during a graduation ceremony at the Afghan National Army 205th Corps Training Center Dec. 8, 2011. The Purple Heart is one of the oldest commendations in American military history, dating back to the later years of the Revolutionary War and was originally designed as the Badge of Military Merit.  

NEWPORT NEWS, VA, UNITED STATES

08.16.2021

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Cabal 

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73)

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (August 16, 2021) – Most military members who see combat are lucky to return home with little to no injury; others are not. The Purple Heart award is a somber reminder of the worst aspect of war and its lasting effects.
The Purple Heart award was created in 1782 by George Washington to commemorate the sacrifices service members have made through injury or death as a result of enemy actions. Reinstated in 1917 after the award fell into disuse, the award is given to military members for their heroism and bravery. Purple Heart recipients are celebrated each year on Aug. 8 for their sacrifice.
The experience that earned the service members the Purple Heart influences the rest of their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Lt. Lindsey Riddick, a division officer assigned to reactor department aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), speaks of her grandfather, Michael Adams, experience in Vietnam during the Vietnamese War where he earned two Purple Hearts one month apart.
“[He] chose to enlist before he was drafted,” said Riddick. “I think that speaks a lot to his character. He had taken so many things from his 13 months there that changed the way he lived. I know that it has affected his life significantly.”
Knowing about the accomplishments of your loved ones can bring a sense of pride and conviction.
“I am very proud,” said Riddick. “I think what he did was extremely brave. There could have been other Marines or Sailors who came home because of what he did.”
The Purple Heart symbolizes a vast array of feelings for those who know someone who earned it.
“The Purple Heart is more than just someone getting injured,” said Riddick. “In the service, it symbolizes their dedication to others, whether it be for a fellow shipmate, marine, or soldier. The Purple Heart is symbolic with being a hero.”
Sometimes Purple Heart recipients refrain from talking about their experiences due to a variety of reasons.
“I think people who have earned the Purple Heart are very humble people, and do not think of their wounds as an act of service,” said Riddick. “I just want to make sure that those people know what they did matters.”
Many of the attributes that are possessed by Purple Heart recipients can be emulated on the George Washington to create a better and stronger ship, ready for whatever it may face.
“We have to lean on each other, and we have to trust each other,” said Riddick. “We are not in war, but we are trying to get the ship back to sea and make the carrier ready to go support the mission. Without teamwork, comradery, and caring for each other, the machine does not work. It takes all parts of the machine.”

• Date Taken: 08.16.2021
• Date Posted: 08.21.2021 08:25
• Story ID: 403601
• Location: NEWPORT NEWS, VA, US