Last week I shared with you a partial list of 39 of the veterans from Cheboygan County who were recipients of Purple Heart medals for wounds inflicted during combat operations actions during World War II.
Today, I want to honor and list the last 32 names of our Purple Heart recipients from the area who served during WWII.
The Purple Heart medal traces its history back to Gen. George Washington. In 1782, he created the “Badge of Military Merit,” which featured a purple cloth emblem in the shape of a heart and the word “MERIT” scripted across its middle. Washington awarded at least three. Though more may have been awarded, they are now lost to history.
The Purple Heart was largely forgotten for the next 150 years, until Gen. Douglas MacArthur revived the Purple Heart medal in 1932 to replace the Wound Chevron and the Army Wound Ribbon.
The design for the new, modern medal included a purple ribbon encased by silver edges and a gold medal with Washington’s bust in gold over a background of purple.
This new, modern medal is awarded to service members of the three main branches of our military: Army, Air Force and Navy, as well as the Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security.
The medal is meant to honor meritorious or valorous service, as well as those wounded in action against the enemies of our great nation.
Interestingly, my grandson, who follows my weekly column, is a pharmacist who worked for the Veterans Administration facility in Battle Creek assisting veterans with prescription medications they need to get through the day.
He told me he really enjoyed last week’s column. He said many of his patients had earned the medal. He added many of them had shared with him their personal combat stories that resulted in them receiving the Purple Heart.
My list of the last 32 Purple Heart recipients from WWII follows. If I have missed any recipients, please let me know at audreycasari@hotmail.com. I will include any names I might have missed in a future column.
- Paul Koviak, Army, Munro Township
- Pvt. John Kwiatkowski, Army, Cheboygan
- Pfc. Robert Kwiatkowski, Army, Inverness Township
- Sgt. Lawrence Lahaie, Army, Cheboygan
- Pfc. Anthony Lanseiwitz, Army, Cheboygan
- Pfc. Grant Landon, Marine Corps, Cheboygan
- Pfc. Harry Layman, Army, Mullett Lake
- Charles Lewis (awarded five Purple Hearts), Burt Township
- Sgt. Leo Lovelly, Army, Cheboygan
- Mjr. James Lowerly, Army
- Pfc. John Majestic, Army
- Sgt. Donald Massey (awarded two Purple Hearts), Army
- Ronald “Mickey” McDonald, Army, Cheboygan
- John McKay, Jr. (lost an arm), Cheboygan
- Sgt. Louis McKay, Army, Benton Township
- Sgt. Donald McRae, Army Air Force, Cheboygan
- Pfc. Clarence Melberg (drowned in Danube River), Navy, Benton
- Pfc. Clyde Melberg, (drowned in Danube River), Army, Benton
- Sgt. Earl Mallory, Army, Benton
- Cpl. Carl Morrison, Army, Cheboygan
- Lt. Donald Morrison, (awarded two Purple Hearts), Army, Cheboygam
- Pvt. Kenneth Hudson, Army, Cheboygan
- Pvt. Richard Hudson, Marine Corps, Benton
- Cpl. Gerald Jewell, Army, Benton
- Sgt. Willard Jewell, Army, Benton
- Carl Johnson, Army Air Force, Cheboygan
- Sgt. George Johnson, Army, Cheboygan
- Mjr. Darrell Judson, Army Air Force
- Sgt. Leonard Knaffle, Marine Corps, Cheboygan
- Sgt Anthony Kortz Army, Cheboygan
- Cpl. Joseph Kortz, Army, Benton (Black River)
- Thomas Kortz, Army, Benton (Black River)
This concludes the list of WWII recipients of the Purple Heart from the Cheboygan area. Please let me know if I missed any recipient or misspelled any name.
We are losing our last few veterans of WWII every day. They once numbered in the tens of millions. We should keep their names and memories present in our hearts and prayers every day. We should continue to honor and love those who are still with us.
All of them are members of America’s “Greatest Generation,” a generation that willingly left their homes, families and friends to defend our Democracy, not knowing if they would return. Yet still they served. And won.