By Lucky Kidd
LYONS, Kan. — The City of Lyons has been designated a Purple Heart City. The designation was made through a proclamation read by Mayor Dustin Schultz during Monday’s City Council meeting.
The Purple Heart is an award given to a member of the armed forces who has been wounded or made the supreme sacrifice in combat with a declared enemy of the United States. Its roots go as far back as 1782 when General George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit, the predecessor of the Purple Heart. The Badge of Military Merit was the first service award of decoration made available/given to a common soldier.
The move to designate Lyons as a Purple Heart City was spearheaded by Council member and American Legion Department of Kansas Commander Angela Evans. Evans recently spoke at a ceremony in Arkansas City when it made this designation, which sparked her interest in having this designation in Lyons.
“Cities desiring to designate as part of the Purple Heart Trail endeavor to honor the sacrifices of the recipients of the medal and the high price they paid to ensure the freedoms and privileges we enjoy,” Evans told the Council, adding, “This expression of community gratitude is executed through the recognition of the governing body by public proclamation and serves as a visual reminder not only of the legacy of the men and women who paid the cost of freedom, but as an expression of desire of our communities to show support for those who have sacrificed themselves greatly in the service of our country.”
For Angela Evans, this is also very personal, as her grandfather, Marine Corps Reserve Private 1st Class Walter P. Vincent, was wounded in action Feb. 23, 1945, in the battle of Iwo Jima. His wife was not notified of his injury until nearly a month after it happened due to the very clogged communications of the time.
PFC Vincent was never awarded his purple heart, a fact which was brought to light by a student intern reporter for the Sterling Bulletin in covering presentations he made on his war experience to Sterling High School students over the years. That would lead to the paperwork being filed leading to his getting the Purple Heart, which was presented 50 years after he was wounded.
Evans was joined in the designation and unveiling of a sign by Veterans of Foreign Wars National Council of Administration Pat Briggs of Lyons, who along with the American Legion served as sponsor of the application, members of her family, and retiring City Administrator and veteran Eddy Truelove who assisted in securing the designation. Several veterans including members of American Legion Post 128 who broke away from their usual Hamburger Night were also in attendance.
Evans plans to approach Rice County Commissioners to ask them to designate the county as a Purple Heart County and has an ultimate goal to have the governor designate Kansas as the first Purple Heart State.
