HB 274 : Establishing Purple Heart Day News & Activity

HB 274 : Establishing Purple Heart Day

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:00:01 -0800

Sponsors : Rep. Dahlstrom, Rep. Gardner, Rep. Buch, Rep. Keller, Rep. Petersen, Rep. Lynn, Rep. Gatto, Rep. Tuck, Rep. Doogan, Rep. Thomas, Rep. Hawker, Rep. Guttenberg, Rep. Ramras, Rep. Fairclough, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Millett, Rep. Herron

Establishing August 7 as Purple Heart Day.

Status : TRANSM TO GOVERNOR >> CHAPTER 2 SLA 10 : 2010-03-22
Contact : Laura Pierre, 465-3783

On August 7, 1782, General George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit to honor military enlisted men and noncommissioned officers. This badge was only awarded to three Revolutionary War soldiers then fell to the wayside after the war. In 1932, on Washington's 200th ...

Legislature Acts to Create Annual Purple Heart Day - Designating Aug. 7 to honor recipients gains unanimous Senate passage

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 17:29:18 -0800

Contact : Laura Pierre, 465-3783

The Alaska State Legislature today passed House Bill 274, legislation designating Aug. 7 of every year as Purple Heart Day. The Alaska State Senate approved the bill unanimously. The State House passed the bill unanimously Feb. 8.

House Rules Committee Chair Nancy Dahlstrom, R-Eagle River, sponsored the bill, which would codify the date in statute for perpetuity. "State and local leaders do their part annually through citations and proclamations, but codifying August 7th to honor the brave men and women who've earned the medal is the right thing to do, and a small gesture we can make to say thank you for your sacrifice and service," Dahlstrom said.

Representative Berta Gardner, D-Anchorage, one of the prime sponsors of HB 274, along with Rep. Dahlstrom, said, "This legislation offers one more way to honor and recognize our veterans and Purple Heart recipients. There is not enough we can do for them."

House Moves to Create Annual Purple Heart Day - HB 274 designates Aug. 7 to honor recipients of nation's oldest military medal

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 14:19:04 -0800

Contact : Laura Pierre, 465-3783

The Alaska State House of Representatives today unanimously passed HB 274, a bill designating Aug. 7 of every year as Purple Heart Day. House Rules Committee Chair Nancy Dahlstrom, R-Eagle River, sponsored the bill, which would codify recent local, municipal and state citations and resolutions honoring Purple Heart recipients.

"The Purple Heart honors our brave men and women who sacrifice, sometimes their lives, to protect and serve. I was honored to take part in a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony to rename a stretch of the Alaska Highway from the Canadian border to Fairbanks as the Purple Heart Trail, and designating August 7 as a day in their honor is just one more way to show appreciation to our veterans," Dahlstrom said.

The medal has signified an individual's meritorious service throughout its 228-year history, which began with General George Washington's establishment of the Badge of Military Merit in 1782. The medal was renamed the Purple Heart on Washington's 200th birthday, and was transitioned to honoring members of the U.S. armed forces who have been wounded or killed in battle in 1942.