Scott City, Chaffee, become Purple Heart cities

Two Scott County communities have joined more than 900 U.S. municipalities nationwide designated as Purple Heart cities.

A Purple Heart combat decoration is considered America's oldest military medal and is awarded in the name of the sitting U.S. president to those wounded or in memory of those killed while serving in the armed forces.

Scott City City Council voted Dec. 5 to embrace the designation, following the city of Chaffee's decision to do the same July 19.

Norman Brant, a member of VFW Post Auxiliary 3127 in Chaffee, is mayor of Scott City and credits a conversation with Chaffee Mayor Steve Loucks for galvanizing his interest.

"Mayor Loucks asked me if our town wanted to become a Purple Heart City, and at our recent meeting, I read names of 21 veterans wounded or killed in combat from Scott City," Brant said. "Lisa and Rick Walter, our police chief, told us about their son being wounded in the service. It was very touching."

Loucks, a member of Post 3127, said signs depicting Chaffee as both a Purple Heart City and POW/MIA City — the latter remembering prisoners of war and those missing in action — are at the five entrance points to the city, which is home to just more than 3,000 residents.

"We have two post members who are Purple Heart recipients," Loucks said.

"I told the audience in Scott City," Brant said, "when a veteran is wounded, the pain doesn't go away just because the stitches are taken out and the wound is healed. Wounded veterans live with such pain, physical and emotional, the rest of their lives. The family of a wounded veteran is also impacted, so receiving a Purple Heart is quite an event."

Cape Girardeau became a Purple Heart City in 2018.

Signs denoting Chaffee's status as a Purple Heart City and a POW-MIA City are at the intersection of Highway 77 and Cummins Drive in the Scott County municipality. Chaffee has joined a growing list of U.S. municipalities honoring Purple Heart recipients, who are so designated for having been killed or wounded while serving in the military.Jeff Long

History

The forerunner of the Purple Heart medal, which depicts the nation's first president, George Washington, in profile, was the "Badge of Military Merit", which Washington awarded for the first time in April 1782 while still commander in chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

In the modern revival of the Purple Heart, the commendation is given in the name of the sitting U.S. president to any member of the armed forces serving after April 5, 1917, who was wounded or killed in enemy action.

According to a 2009 National Geographic magazine article, more than 1.9 million Purple Heart medals have been awarded, 430,000 of them posthumously.

The award is purple because the color connotes courage and bravery.

Of note

Famous Americans who have been awarded the Purple Heart include the following:

• Eric Greitens, former Missouri governor
• John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. president
• Oliver Stone, film director
• Pat Tillman, NFL player
• Rod Serling, creator of television's "Twilight Zone"
• Jessica Lynch, POW survivor of the 2003 Iraq War battle