A number of distinguished military persons will attend the unveiling of the Florida Purple Heart Wall, which will soon have a permanent place in the Hall of Honor room of the Southwest Florida Military Museum & Library in Cape Coral.
The traveling display chronicles the history of the award. It depicts – in a series of large placards – every Florida Purple Heart recipient who died in action since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the nation in 2001. The formal unveiling will be held at 10:30 a.m. on August 7, which is National Purple Heart Day. The regular veteran’s luncheon will follow at 11:30 a.m.
Moderating the program will be Dane Eagle, a member of the Florida House of Representatives representing the 77th District.
“We are honored to be the permanent home of this display that honors so many of our Florida heroes,” said Missi Lastra, SWFMM&L facilities director. “It is likely that every city in Florida has a soldier being honored on this display. This acquisition is a big win for the museum and the city, our Purple Heart City!”
A highlight of the ceremony will be the presentation of a Purple Heart. In honor of SSgt Vito Portanova, who was killed in action in the Battle of the Bulge on December 23, 1944, his surviving family members never received a posthumous medal. Retired Major General James L. Dozier will be presenting the Purple Heart, donated by the MOPH Chapter 696, to Jim Albert, Portanova’s nephew from Naples, who is a retired Navy captain.
Gen. Dozier, a native of Arcadia, Fl, is a graduate of West Point and was a classmate of General Norman Schwarzkopf. In December 1981, he was kidnapped by an Italian Marxist militant group called the Red Brigade. He was held in captivity for 42 days before being rescued by NOCS, a special operations unit of the Italian police. At the time, Dozier was the Deputy Chief of Staff at NATO’s Southern European land forces headquarters at Verona, Italy.
Another honored guest for the Purple Heart ceremony will be Ponciano “Poncho” Mauricio. Poncho, 101, endured the Bataan Death March, a 66-mile forced march of 76,000 prisoners of war (66,000 Filipinos, 10,000 Americans) during the early stages of World War II in the Philippines. Mauricio, who now resides in Cape Coral, was an engineer and major in the Filipino Army during the war. He is a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon civilians.
The original Purple Heart was designated as the Badge of Military Merit. It was established by General George Washington by order from his headquarters at Newburgh, New York, August 7, 1782.
The writings of General Washington quoted in part: “The General ever desirous to cherish a virtuous ambition in his soldiers, as well as to foster and encourage every species of Military Merit, directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings over the left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding. Not only instances of unusual gallantry, but also of extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any way shall meet with a due reward.”
During the early period of World War II, the Purple Heart was awarded both for wounds received in action against the enemy and for meritorious performance of duty.
