Sen. Ashley Moody introduced a resolution on Friday recognizing Aug. 7 as Purple Heart Recognition Day, marking the occasion by submitting the service records of four Floridian Purple Heart recipients into the Congressional Record.
The Purple Heart is the oldest U.S. military decoration currently in use. It is awarded to service members who are wounded or killed in action against an enemy, or while held as prisoners of war.
General George Washington first established the decoration on Aug. 7, 1782, and it has since been awarded to more than 1.8 million military personnel.
“On Purple Heart Recognition Day, we honor our nation’s wounded warriors and those who have died in service of our country,” Moody said in a statement. “No one ever serves hoping to receive this medal, it is not an honor anyone sets out to earn—it is given because an American stood his or her ground against an enemy.”
The resolution drew support from Concerned Veterans for America. John Byrnes, the group’s strategic director, called the medal “one of our nation’s highest honors” and noted that designating a day of recognition represents “the least we can do” for those who defended the nation.
As part of the recognition, Moody submitted the histories of four Florida combat veterans into the official congressional record:
- Sgt. Jason Crawford and retired Staff Sgt. Dustin Tuller: Both served with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment during Operation Iraqi Freedom. On Dec. 23, 2003, both were critically injured during a combat engagement in Baghdad. Despite his own injuries, Crawford directed medics to treat Tuller first. Both men survived and remain friends.
- Sgt. Peter McKanna: A Marine who served two combat tours in Vietnam with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. On Dec. 25, 1970, McKanna was injured by an explosive device that cost him part of his left leg and killed three Marines beside him.
- Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Douglas Doughty: A Vietnam veteran wounded by shrapnel in April 1969. Doughty later built a medical career in civilian life while remaining in the Navy Reserve, returning to active service during Operation Desert Storm.
Moody, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee whose family includes military members, has previously cosponsored veterans-focused legislation including the Military Spouse Hiring Act and the Major Richard Star Act.
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