City of Killeen to host Purple Heart Day commemoration ceremony

KILLEEN, Texas (Aug. 5, 2024) - The City of Killeen will host a ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 7, commemorating Purple Heart Day. The event will be at 2p.m. at City Hall and feature the unveiling of more than a dozen new Purple Heart City signs across the city, as well as a new webpage dedicated to the city's Purple Heart City status.

2024 marks ten years of Killeen being designated a Purple Heart City. The Military Order of the Purple Heart Special Recognition Award was presented to the City in 2014 by representatives of the CenTex Chapter 1876 Military Order of the Purple Heart, USA. The honor is for the City's dedication, support and honoring of America's combat wounded veterans.

The history of the Purple Heart is one of the most renowned military awards, dating back to 1782 when General George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit, which would later become the Purple Heart. The medal is awarded to military personnel wounded or injured in war or by terrorist actions, and signifies the sacrifices made by America's servicemembers, as a symbol of their willingness to sacrifice to protect and defend our nation. The award is also presented posthumously for servicemembers who died as a result of those actions.

Invited guests include local / Centex Purple Heart organizations, veterans organizations, Fort Cavazos representatives, City Council members and City staff.

The new website dedicated to the city's Purple Heart designation is www.KilleenTexas.gov/PurpleHeart.