Legislator Day Encourages Residents to Attend Ceremony Acknowledging Rockland as a Purple Heart County

New City, NY (June 24, 2013) – Rockland County Legislator Ed Day (New City-Pomona) is encouraging residents to attend a ceremony on Thursday, July 4, 2013, 12:30 p.m. in support of Legislator Day’s resolution to make Rockland a “Purple Heart County.”  The ceremony will be officiated by the Rockland Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and will take place at the County Court House, Main Street, New City.

General George Washington originally created the Purple Heart as the Badge of Military Merit in 1782 at his Orange County, NY headquarters in Newburgh. The medal was reissued in 1932 as the Purple Heart at the request of General Douglas MacArthur.  It is the oldest U.S. Military decoration in present use and is issued in the name of the president of the United States to members of the U.S. Armed Services wounded or killed in action while engaged in combat with an enemy force.

“It is more than appropriate for our county to proclaim itself as a ‘Purple Heart County,'” said Legislator Day, “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.”

“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. The very least we can do is recognize the unselfish gallantry and bravery of those true warriors.”