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North Andover pays tribute to Purple Heart veterans

Wicked Local North - 7/19/2021

Jul. 19—The North Andover Select Board approved a request by North Andover Veterans Services Director Joseph Leblanc to make Aug. 7 Purple Heart Day, making the town an official Purple Heart Community.

Purple Heart medals are awarded to members of the military who are wounded or killed in service.

Kurt Power, state service officer for the Military Order of the Purple Heart, attended the North Andover proclamation ceremony with three North Andover Purple Heart recipients— Robert Turner, David Swarbrick and Jack Garvin.

"Thank you so much to all of you here that have served, and thank you so much to the town of North Andover for your support of America's combat wounded veterans," Power said.

Select Board Chair Laura Bates then read the town proclamation and thanked the veterans in attendance for their service.

"I just want to thank you all for your service and the ultimate sacrifice that was paid by all of you and those that can't be here with us," Bates said.

State Rep. Tram Nguyen, D-Andover, and State Sens. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, and Diana DiZoglio, D-Methuen, attended the ceremony with citations from Beacon Hill for North Andover's local Purple Heart veterans.

With the town proclamation, a flag honoring Purple Heart recipients will fly every year on Aug. 7.

The Purple Heart was originally issued by Gen. George Washington in 1782 during the Revolutionary War. It was discontinued until 1932, when Congress revved it to mark Washington's 200th birthday.

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