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Military Order
of the
Purple Heart |
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Texas Capital Chapter 1919
Austin, Texas |
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ABOUT OUR MEMBERS
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE A COMPLETE INDEX OF STORIES
Chapter 1919’s Patriots are combat wounded veterans
from every battlefield (or at least every theatre of operations) where
American troops have fought, from the first shots fired in WWII up to the
present time. The personal experiences of these veterans are individually
interesting and collectively awesome. Their stories, strung together, would
be a wonderful part of American History. Biographical Sketches of some of
our nearly 600 chapter members are shown later in this display, but; we are
proud of them all.
A few of the others, wounded in noteworthy
engagements, or who performed distinguished service in the military or
subsequently in civilian life, are also singled out for special mention
here.
The Purple Heart is awarded for sacrifice, not for
heroism; however, many who receive it were doing heroic service when
wounded. Patriot
Robert E. O’Malley, of Goldthwaite, a
Marine Corps Rifle Squad Leader in Vietnam, is a Medal of Honor recipient;
as was Roy
Benavidez (deceased) an Army Green Beret,
the most highly decorated combat veteran of the war in Vietnam.
James Farmer, Sr.
(deceased)
and Bill Kerr
(deceased) were recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross in WWII.
There may be other very high awards for valor that we do not know about;
and, Chapter 1919 has more Silver Star recipients than can be named in this
brief paper. Retired General Officers include
Robert Bernstein
(deceased),
Army Medical Corps, who commanded Walter Reed Army Hospital and after
military retirement served as Director, Texas Department of Health; also,
Guy S. Meloy III,
(Army), Frank Breth
(deceased) (Marine Corps); and Carlos
Hayden (Army Reserve).
Our “earliest wounded” patriots are
G.R. Williams,
wounded and blown overboard off the deck of the battleship, West
Virginia, in the Dec 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor; and only hours
later, Art Rice,
(deceased) an Army Air Corps ground crewman wounded in the bombing of Nichols Field
outside Manila in the Philippines. One of our “most recently wounded”
patriots is Alan Babin,
a paratrooper and an Army Medic, wounded on Operation Iraqi Freedom in March
2003. Navy crewmember, Joel Lehman,
was wounded in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War when the U.S.S. Liberty,
operating in the Mediterranean Sea, was struck by an Israeli missile.
Armando Ybarra
was wounded in the terrorist truck bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut,
Lebanon in 1983. Greg Scott
and Oscar Segura
were both wounded in the 1991 Gulf War (Desert Storm).
James Kinimaka was
wounded in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993. Patriot (and Chapter Commander),
John Stavast
(deceased), who survived 6-years in North Vietnamese prison camps after
being shot down over Hanoi, was held POW for so long that he was promoted to
Colonel while in captivity. John was an active leader in the camps, his
story is in numerous books, and until shortly before his death in July 2004
he was still in demand as an inspirational public speaker.
Members of Chapter 1919 who later distinguished
themselves in civilian life are numerous, but only a few can be listed, so
we apologize in advance to the many others who also should be included.
Noteworthy patriots named next here are in no particular order, certainly
not to imply any kind of ranking. Austin, Texas has ten High Schools.
Each is named for a distinguished Texan, mostly all heroic figures in Texas
history; but, the only one of the 12 high schools honoring a living person
is the one named for retired Superintendent of Schools,
Gonzalo Garza,
a Korean War wounded veteran now residing in Sun City Georgetown. One of our
charter members, and a generous donor,
Herbert Spiro, is a
retired diplomat, having served multiple-terms as a United States Ambassador
(Herb now lives in San Antonio and is in the Alamo Chapter). Ken
Towery is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
William Livingston,
Senior Vice President and Professor Emeritus of Government at the University
of Texas, is one of the founders of the university’s “Normandy Scholars”
program. Patriot and charter member,
Harold Marburger
(deceased),
is a retired Chancellor of the Texas State University System and Assistant
to the Chancellor, University of Texas System.
Frank Denius, an
Austin lawyer, businessman and civic leader, is Chairman of the University
of Texas Athletics Veterans Committee, and he never misses a UT football
practice. Max Noe
has retired from the U.S. Postal Service as the Postmaster in Austin.
Famous or not, proud of
them all, Chapter 1919 is looking for more combat wounded veterans to sign
up! |
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COMPLETE LIST OF CHAPTER 1919
MEMBERS PURPLE HEART STORIES
SELECT
A PERSON'S NAME (Click)
TO READ STORY IN ANOTHER WINDOW
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World War II |
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ARMY,
WWII, Pacific
Article
January 2005 |
MARTIN L. ALLDAY |
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Navy, WWII,
Pacific
Article May 2008 |
HADRON "IZELL" BANKSTON
COMING
SOON |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
November 1999 |
FLOYD
E. BENNETT
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ARMY,
WWII, Europe
Article
June 2004 |
STEPHEN J. BODNAR
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ARMY,
WWII, Sicily
Article
September 1998 |
WILLIAM A. (BILL) BRANT
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Army Air Corps, WWII, Europe
Article December 1996 |
JOHN
M. BRYANT
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AIR FORCE, WWII, Europe
Article September 2006 |
CLYDE S. CARMAN |
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ARMY, WWII, Europe
Article
July 2004 |
MANUEL CASTILLO |
Army Air Corps, WWII, Europe
Article
July-August 1997 |
L.C. CASTRO |
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ARMY, WWII, Europe
Article May 2001 |
MARCUS
COHEN
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Navy, WWII,
Pacific
Article April 1997 |
STEVE CONDITT |
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AIR FORCE, WWII, Europe
Article March 2008 |
ROBERT L. COOK
NEW |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
February 2007 |
ROBERT S. DALTON |
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NAVY,
WWII, Europe
Article July-August 2000 |
HARRY
G. DAVES, JR. |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
September 1996 |
MILFORD R. DAVIS |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
March 2006 |
FRANK W. DENIUS |
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AIR FORCE, WWII, Europe
Article January 1997 |
RUFUS DYE, JR. |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
February 2008 |
RALPH
D. ERICKSON
NEW |
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ARMY, WWII, Europe
Article December 1998 |
JAMES W. FARMER, SR.
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NAVY,
WWII, Pacific
Article
July-August 1998 |
MELFRED FORSMAN
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ARMY, WWII, Pacific
Article 2003 |
RANDY GREENE |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
April 2004 |
FLETCHER W. HARRIS. JR. |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article May
1997 |
ROBERT
H. HARWOOD |
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Army, WWII,
Europe
Article
June 1997 |
LESLIE
R. HEREFORD, JR |
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Tale
of 3 CAV Troopers |
James S. "Jim" Hufnall,
La Grange, TX
Weldon S. Hoyle,
Olathe, KS
Stanley M. "Stan" Jankiewicz,
St Petersburg FL |
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AIR FORCE, WWII, Europe
Article June 1999 |
JAMES M. INKS |
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ARMY, WWII,
North Africa, Europe
Article July
1996 |
BILL
KERR |
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Army, WWII,
Europe
Article
February 2006 |
CARL H. KLEIN |
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ARMY AIR FORCE, WWII, Europe
Article October 2007 |
WILLIAM C. (BILL) LANE |
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Army, WWII,
Europe
Army,
Korea
Article
May 2006 |
HAROLD E. (HAL) LEWIS |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
April 2008 |
EDSELL H. (ED) LONG
NEW |
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ARMY, WWII,
Pacific
Article
January 1998 |
HAROLD
J. MARBURGER |
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AIR FORCE, WWII, Europe
Article September 2007 |
THOMAS W. MATTHEWS |
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NAVY, WWII, Pacific
Article January 2006 |
CHARLES H. MCCOY |
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ARMY AIR
FORCES, WWII, Europe
Article October
2000 |
RAYMOND L. McKEE, SR |
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Army, WWII,
Pacific
Article
July-August 2003 |
BISHOP
DAVIS (B.D.) McKENDREE |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
April 1999 |
GEORGE
MIGL |
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AIR FORCE, WWII, Europe
Article December 2006 |
ABRAM A. MILLAR |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
April 2007 |
DONALD C. MORRISON |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
September 1995 |
MAX L.
NOE |
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ARMY, WWII,
Pacific
Article
October 2006 |
HENRY A. PAPKE |
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ARMY AIR
FORCES, WWII, Europe
Article February
2004 |
JOHN
E. PRICE |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
July 2006 |
TOM F. PRIDDY |
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USAF, WWII,
Pacific
Article March 2005 |
ARTHUR (ART) RICE |
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USMC, WWII,
Pacific
Article
December 2004 |
JACK SALTER |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
January 2008 |
WALLACE E.
(PETE) SNELSON
NEW |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
October 1997 |
HERBERT SPIRO |
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ARMY, WWII,
Pacific
Article
January-February 1997 |
J. D.
STALLINGS |
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ARMY, WWII,
Pacific
Article
October 1996 |
HARRY
A. SWAN |
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ARMY, WWII,
Pacific
Article
April 2005 |
ROLAND K. "KEN" TOWERY |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
July 2005 |
SERVANDO C.
VARELA |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
October 1998 |
CARL
E. VOTTI |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
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WALTER B. WALDON |
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ARMY, WWII,
Europe
Article
September 1997 |
JACK
B. WARDEN |
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NAVY, WWII, Pacific
Article March 1999 |
GRANVIL RAY “G.R."
WILLIAMS
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Korea |
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ARMY,
Korea
Article September
2004 |
ROBERT (BOB) BERNSTEIN, M.D. |
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ARMY, Korea
Article
February 2007 |
ROBERT S. DALTON |
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USMC, Korea
Article May 1996 |
WILLIAM H. DECKER, JR. |
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USMC, Korea
Article November 1997 |
ED
GARR |
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USMC, Korea
Article March 1997 |
GONZALO GARZA |
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Army, WWII,
Europe
Army,
Korea
Article
May 2006 |
HAROLD E. (HAL) LEWIS |
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ARMY, Korea
Article
June 2007 |
HAROLD WEEDEN |
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Vietnam |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Article
January 2007 |
BRICE H. BARNES |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Undated
Article |
ROY P.
BENAVIDEZ |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Undated
Article |
MILTON B. (MILT) CARR |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Article
December 2006 |
JIM DEETER |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Article
March
2004 |
RAYMOND M. DIAZ |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Article September
2001 |
ANTHONY J. (TONY) GEISHAUSER |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Article May 2004 |
ROBERT A.
HEFFORD |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Article
August 2007 |
JOE LEVINSON |
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NAVY,
Vietnam
Article
August 1996 |
ARTHUR
MANN |
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ARMY, Vietnam
Article March 1998 |
VICTOR D. MASSAGLIA |
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ARMY, Vietnam
Article January 2004 |
HOWARD M.
McKINNEY |
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USMC, Vietnam
Article February 2000 |
ROBERT E. O’MALLEY |
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USMC,
Vietnam
Article
October 2002 |
PATRICK M. REILLY |
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AIR FORCE,
Vietnam
Article
December 1997 |
RONALD
W. SELLERS |
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AIR FORCE,
Vietnam
Articles
March 1996, May 1999, January 2004 |
JOHN STAVAST |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Article
December 2007 |
KEN WALLINGFORD |
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ARMY,
Vietnam
Article
December 2001 |
HORACE P. WILLIAMS |
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Lebanon |
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Afghanistan |
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Iraq |
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SELECT A PERSON'S NAME (Click)
TO READ STORY IN ANOTHER WINDOW |
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Last Updated 5-5-2008 |
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