Chelan County Purple Heart veterans to be honored

Last year’s event emcee, Tony Sandoval of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, far left, asks the Purple Heart recipients in the room to stand during the 2024 ceremony, held at the Pybus Public Market.

For the second consecutive year, the community will come together on Thursday to pay tribute to 17 local recipients of the Purple Heart, a military service decoration that honors men and women who have been wounded or died in combat. This year’s honorees served in U.S. military conflicts ranging from World War I to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The ceremony is 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 7, at the Wenatchee Veterans Hall, 1206 N. Wenatchee Ave. The second annual event is organized by the Chelan County Veterans Program. The event will include the Presentation of Colors by Wenatchee Valley VFW Post 3617 and American Legion Post 10.

“Last year’s event – the first for our region – was very moving,” said John Tamngin, Chelan County Veterans Services officer. “Seeing and talking to a veteran with Purple Heart medal is such a great honor and privilege because there is at least an equal number of medal recipients who did not live to receive it.”

A call in June for names of local veterans, either living or deceased, who received a Purple Heart garnered 17 applications from around Chelan and Douglas counties. The names of the 2025 honorees will be inscribed along with the 2024 honorees on a plaque and hung on the Hall of Honor at the Chelan County Veterans Services Office.

The Purple Heart, originally called the Badge of Military Merit but later renamed in 1932, is the oldest military decoration in present use. It is the first American Service award of decoration made available to the common soldier and is specifically awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have been wounded or died in combat. In 1991, the state Legislature passed Senate Bill 5718, recognizing Aug. 7 as a day to pay tribute to those who hold the distinction of

having been awarded the Purple Heart.

Last year, Chelan and Douglas counties and the cities of East Wenatchee and Wenatchee signed proclamations declaring the individual entities Purple Heart counties or cities. New this year, the cities of Chelan and Waterville will be joining in the distinctions with their own Purple Heart City proclamations.

A Purple Heart City or County is one that officially recognizes recipients of the Purple Heart. Each municipality can notify the Purple Heart Trail organization so the communities can be listed on its website. In addition, local jurisdictions will be

installing road signs, marking the designation. The road signs, paid for by American Legion Post 10, will be installed later this year at the entrances to each of the counties and cities.