Sedgwick County honors Purple Heart recipients. Here’s how and how many are in Wichita
Sedgwick County received a new designation that honors local veterans who have been wounded or gave the ultimate sacrifice to the United States.
Earlier this week, the Sedgwick County Commission proclaimed the county a Purple Heart County.
A Purple Heart is a U.S. military decoration awarded in the name of the president to service members who have been wounded or killed while serving in the U.S. armed forces, according to the Wounded Warrior Regiment.
In Kansas, there are 169 documented Purple Heart honorees; 12 are from Wichita, records provided to The Eagle from the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor show.
The Kansas honorees were service members in the U.S. Army, Army Air Forces, Marines, Navy and the Air Force and served in World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq War), records show.
It is estimated that between 1.8 to 2 million Purple Hearts awards have been given since its inception in 1932. The exact number is unknown since the federal government does not maintain a list of recipients for the award.
Peter Bedrossian, program director for the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor museum in New York, said its list of Purple Heart honorees is made up of records sent in voluntarily by recipients, family or friends of service members.
The proclamation means Sedgwick County is now a part of the National Purple Heart Trail, “a symbolic network of highways, bridges and other monuments that display signs to commend veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart Medal,” a county news release said.
“This is a great tribute,” county board Chairman Pete Meitzner said. “This lets veterans and their families know they did not suffer in vain.”
The trail was established in 1992 and originates at a monument in Mount Vernon, Virginia. Other Purple Heart sites in Kansas include the cities of Derby, Haysville, Holton, Leavenworth, Netawaka and Topeka.
A full list of all the Kansas entities is available online.
Purple Heart county signs will be installed on 10 major roads and highways leading into Sedgwick County:
▪ U.S. 54, Butler County line
▪ U.S. 54, Kingman County line
▪ K-96, Reno County line
▪ K-254, Butler County line
▪ U.S. 81, Sumner County line
▪ Broadway Street, Harvey County line
▪ Meridian Road, Harvey County line
▪ 151st W., Sumner County line
▪ 95th S., Butler County line
▪ Rock Road, near McConnell Air Force Base
