Hometown Heroes: Purple Heart Recipients

There's a bridge in Brookville over North Fork Creek is now called the Jefferson County Purple Heart Memorial Bridge.

John Delaney, a Purple Heart recipient helped make it happen.
He says, "everybody is getting recognized after they're dead, we wanna do this when they're still alive."

Purple Heart recipients from around the region showed up Friday for the dedication.
Like father and son recipients Joel and Shane Woods.
When he heard about the dedication, Joel said, "immediately i called my son, Shane, and said we have to participate, because of fallen comrades. The ones that deserve Purple Hearts is ones that died in line of duty."

And Richard DeSantis said, "it means more to me than most, I have a Purple Heart. a lot of people that had Purple Hearts didn't get back."

The Purple Heart is the oldest military award. It was first established by President George Washington in 1782. It now features his likeness. It's different from all other military decorations. A servicemember is not reccommended for it. They are entitled to it if they are killed or wounded by the enemy.