Athens, W.Va (WVVA)- Concord University's Office of Veterans Affairs held a ceremony Tuesday to celebrate Purple Heart Recognition Day.
West Virginia state lawmakers declared every August 7th to be "Purple Heart Recognition Day" as part of WV House Bill No. 4493. The bill passed in late February of this year.
The Purple Heart award is given to those who are wounded or killed in action while serving in the United State Armed Forces. Concord University honored West Virginia's heroes Tuesday in front of Marsh Hall at the bell tower on the Athens campus.
Before the ceremony, the Veterans' Committee handed out purple ribbons to those gathered around the bell tower. Then, after the bells chimed noon, retired Navy veteran and Veterans' Committee member Terry Rotenberry performed a reading and those gathered heard "America the Beautiful" and the United States National Anthem played on the bells.
This Purple Heart memorial day, and Concord's ceremony to honor Purple Heart recipients, was exactly what Rotenberry had in mind.
"The only thing that we ask for is just to be recognized for the efforts we put forth as veterans," he said. "Because our freedom in this country is most important." Rotenberry told WVVA he thought this day was appropriate to honor the fallen, wounded, and disabled who sacrificed for our country, and the event was a good way "to start."
The Purple Heart Award is the oldest military decoration still in use, Rotenberry said during the reading Tuesday.
