Legislator Wants Rockland to be Purple Heart County

Rockland County Legislator Ed Day (New City-Pomona) wants Rockland to return to its roots as a Purple Heart County and is holding a ceremony on Thursday, July 4 in honor of the resolution for his proposal.

“It is more than appropriate for our county to proclaim itself as a ‘Purple Heart County,’” said Day, in a press release from his office. “The origin of the medal was conceived at a time when Rockland was a part of Orange County and was specifically created to honor meritorious action of Revolutionary War soldiers—a war fought on our county soil.”

According to a press release from Day’s office, Gen. George Washington originally created the Purple Heart as the Badge of Military Merit in 1782 at his Orange County headquarters in Newburgh and that the medal was reissued in 1932 as the Purple Heart at the request of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. 

The ceremony will be officiated by the Rockland Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and will take place at theCounty Court House, Main Street in New City at 12:30 p.m.

The Purple Heart is the oldest U.S. Military award and is issued by President of the United States to members of the U.S. Armed Services who are wounded or killed in action while engaged in combat.

“To put oneself in the line of fire and suffering injury or death, epitomizes the ultimate commitment to the defense of the liberty we all enjoy today,” said Day. “The very least we can do is recognize the unselfish gallantry and bravery of those true warriors.”