Pine Mountain Becomes Harris County’s First Purple Heart City

During the town council meeting held Monday, May 11, Pine Mountain became Harris County’s first Purple Heart city.

Having Pine Mountain designated as a Purple Heart city and becoming part of the Purple Heart Trail was a goal of Mayor Mary Ruth Mullins as her father was a recipient of the Purple Heart.

Present at the town council meeting to present the certification were members of the Purple Heart Chapter 492 of Columbus, including Pete Barclay, Alan Gibson, James Guynn, and John Wilder. Accompanying them were members of the Purple Heart Chapter 492 auxiliary including Maryann Barclay, Joann Croney, Cheryl Gibson, Viola Guynn, and Vicky Wilder.

John Wilder and Alan Gibson spoke on the process of becoming a Purple Heart city, the history of the Purple Heart award, and the importance of reaching out to Purple Heart recipients in the area.

With the process of being designated a Purple Heart city now completed, Pine Mountain will place signage on roads leading into the town noting this designation.

The Purple Heart Trail is a “symbolic system of roads, highways, bridges, and other monuments that give tribute to the men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart,” as noted in information regarding the project. Started in 1922 at a monument in Mt. Vernon, Virginia, sections of the Purple Heart Trail can currently be found in 45 states and Guam.

FIRST awarded by George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, the award was initially just a simple piece of purple ribbon presented to soldiers and known as the Badge of Military Merit for meritorious service and bravery. After the Revolutionary War, it would not be awarded again for a long time.

There were efforts to reinstitute the award but none gained traction until 1931, when Gen. Douglas MacArthur took interest in the project. Elizabeth Will, in the Office of the Quartermaster General, sketched the design now used for the Purple Heart. The award could be presented to those earning the Meritorious Service Citation Certificate, Army Wound Badge, or those authorized to wear the Wound Chevrons during World War I and early period of World War II. In 1942, the Purple Heart was changed and would only be awarded to members of any military branch wounded during armed conflicts.

Hamilton is in the process of being designated as a Purple Heart city and Harris County is in the same process to be named as a Purple Heart county.

Any Harris County resident who has earned the Purple Heart is encouraged to contact Purple Heart Chapter 492 of Columbus and become a part of the organization.