Somerville earns Purple Heart Community designation

Somerville has been named a Purple Heart Community by the Military Order of the Purple Heart organization, joining more than 100 municipalities in Massachusetts and hundreds more nationwide in recognizing those wounded or killed in combat for their country. The Military Order of the Purple Heart awards the designation to cities and towns, schools, teams, and other entities committed to honoring and commemorating Purple Heart medal Recipients and their families. The Purple Heart is the nation’s oldest military medal, awarded to U.S. Armed Forces Service members who were wounded or killed in combat. To be declared a Purple Heart Community, a municipality with living or deceased Purple Heart Recipients must issue an official proclamation and recognize August 7 as National Purple Heart Day. At the request of the city’s Department of Veterans’ Services, the Somerville City Council passed a resolution declaring Somerville a Purple Heart Community on July 13, and the Military of the Purple Heart subsequently approved the designation. As a Purple Heart Community, Somerville will be added as a stop on the Purple Heart Trail, a symbolic system of roads, highways, bridges, and other monuments across the country that give tribute to those who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal. 

To celebrate Somerville’s designation and honor local Purple Heart Recipients, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Department of Veterans’ Services invite all to a ceremony on National Purple Heart Day, Monday, August 7, at noon at the Dilboy Post 529, 351 Summer St. Join the Mayor at the event, where the Military Order of the Purple Heart Regional Commander will formally present Somerville’s Purple Heart City designation and Somerville Purple Heart Recipients will be recognized and commemorated. The city will also illuminate City Hall and Prospect Hill Tower in purple and raise the Purple Heart flag at City Hall and the Dilboy Post. 

For more information, or to share the name of a local Purple Heart Recipient to be honored, please contact the Somerville Department of Veterans’ Services at veterans@somervillema.gov.