Vienna designated Purple Heart City

July 25--VIENNA -- As part of a continued effort to honor the men and women of the city who have served bravely in the Armed Forces, the City of Vienna has recently been designated a Purple Heart City by the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

During a recent meeting of the city council John Flener, Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 1000, a U.S. Army Veteran of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, officially presented the city with the designation. Mayor Eddie Daniels read and signed a proclamation recognizing July 14 as a day for honoring veterans and recipients of the distinguished Purple Heart medal. Council members voted unanimously to approve the proclamation.

Two very special guests were recognized at that meeting; Veterans and two time Purple Heart recipients Larry Westbrook and Mack Bush.

Westbrook, a Veteran of World War ll, received his first Purple Heart for being wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. As he recovered from his injuries the hospital he was in came under attack. Although he was injured he stood in defense of the hospital which earned him a second Purple Heart. A Vietnam Veteran, Bush, earned two Purple Hearts as well as numerous other medals for his service.

Larista Thomspon, executive director of Vienna Main Street, read a list of other Vienna/Dooly County natives who have received the Purple Heart distinction. Those names included;

World War l -- Killed in Action; Killed in Action: Frank L. Adkins, J. H. Simmons, Randall Graham, Bobbie L. Keene, Lafayette Williams, Paul T. Settles, Adolphus Cooley, Charley Layfield, Corbin W. Smith, Willie C. Murray, George W. Hall, Nottingham Law, James T. Sims, William B. Mashburn, and John H. Harvard.

World War ll -- Wounded in Action; Issac Gammage Peavy, Horace Richardson, Ottice Shurley, Clinton B. Thompson, Sr., and Larry Westbrook.

World War ll -- Killed in Action; Walter L. Bryant, George W. Culberth, James A. Johnson, Henry L. Dennard, Leonard B. Goodroe, Barney U. Brown, Charles W. Folds, William J. Hambrick, Homer L. Vaughn, Glenn G. Gazaway, Colon A. Lockerman, William A. Welch, Roy Grantham, Robert H. Sangster, Jr., Paul Pollack, John H. Horne, John F. Scarborough, John A. Blue, Melvin Kimsey, William E. Shivers, Kirby Lewis, Lucious McKenzie, Harold E. Shurley, Boyd Ellison, John L. Taggart, Amory C. Speight, Jr., Thomas Hardegree, James R. Tharpe, Daniel E. Thompson, Jr., J. D. Kidd, Bryant V. Wesley, Flemming D. Pierce, Jr., Marcus George, John R. Wilkes, Edwin C. Thompson , Ralph McDowell, Roy E. Stone, Lamar F. Woodward, James M. Everett, Fred Gurr, Claude Burwell Green, Jr. , and James Nutt.

Korean War -- Wounded in Action; Virgil Clyde Kidd.

Korean War -- Killed in Action; Edgar R. Godfrey, Douglas Marshall, Derry Gyden, Jr., Jimmie L. Spivey, Evans Lilly, Billie F. Kent, Hubert McKenzie, and Willie E. Musselwhite.

Vietnam War -- Wounded in Action; Jonathan Paul Joiner, George Mack Bush, and Donald Gramm.

Vietnam War -- Killed in Action; Snyder P. Bembry, Freddie James Bryant, Willie J. McKenzie, Willie J. McKenzie, W. C. Elrod, Jr., and William Clark, Jr.

War in Iraq -- Wounded in Action; Sammy L. Young.

War in Afghanistan -- Killed in Action; Steven Coty Sockalosky.

Flener who referred to the list as "humbling" thanked all the city's Veterans for their service.

"Our freedom comes from that," he said.

Flener and Mayor Daniels, along with Westbrook and Bush then unveiled the signs that will be placed at city limits designating Vienna as an official Purple Heart City. The signs were donated by Cape Insurance, Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, Drayton Volunteer Fire Department, and the Vienna Woman's Club.

Mayor Daniels acknowledged Ronnie and Sandra Cape, who suggested the city pursue the designation. For more information on becoming a Purple Heart City log onto www.purpleheart1000.org and click on the link to become a location or call John at (229)425-8770.

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