The City of Rochester announced that it was recently bestowed the honor of the Military Order of Purple Heart Special Recognition Award and proclaimed a Purple Heart City. Rochester is the second city in the State of Michigan to gain this distinction. Signs were recently installed around the City in recognition of this designation.
Purple Heart recipients Bruce Hartung, resident of Rochester, Michigan and Officer Jeffry Firman, Rochester Police Department, assisted Rochester DPW worker, John Low in installing Purple Heart City Signs at entrances to Rochester on Purple Heart Day, August 8, 2015.
Photo courtesy of the Rochester DDA
David Anason, Rochester Director of Public Works stated, “It’s an honor to be a part of such an award, Rochester is a great city and this just makes it even better.”
The Purple Heart Trail was created as a symbolic and honorary system of roads, highways, bridges, and now cities that give tribute to the men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal. Signs placed at various locations annotate those roads, highways, and cities where legislation has been passed to designate areas as The Purple Heart Trail or Purple Heart City.
The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration. The organization now known as the “Military Order of the Purple Heart,” was formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of all who have received the decoration.
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