Join the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7 to commemorate the 240th anniversary of General Washington’s order creating the Badge of Military Merit, predecessor for the modern Purple Heart.

The focus for this year’s program will also commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal, a major turning point during World War II as it ended Japanese expansion and showed America’s ability to come back after Pearl Harbor.

The program presentation will include quotes from Guadalcanal survivors on their recollections of this battle. This will be an audience participation event and volunteers from the audience will be asked to read a quote from a survivor.

Seating is limited and reservations are strongly suggested. Please call 845-561-1765 for reservations. The program will be held indoors in our Presentation Room.

The Purple Heart is presented to service members who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action while serving in the U.S. military. It is a solemn distinction and means a service member has greatly sacrificed themselves, or paid the ultimate price, while in the line of duty. More than 1.8 million Purple Heart medals have been presented to service members since the award was created in 1782.

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located at 374 Temple Hill Road (Route 300), New Windsor. Gallery exhibits are open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. on Sundays.