National D-Day Memorial joins Purple Heart Trail

National Purple Heart Day is Aug. 7

BEDFORD, Va. – Those visiting the National D-Day Memorial will now be greeted by a sign designating the memorial as part of Bedford’s Purple Heart Community and the nationwide Purple Heart Trail.

The Purple Heart Trail, established by the Order in 1992, originates at George Washington’s Mt. Vernon and is a symbolic and honorary system of roads, highways, bridges, communities, and monuments. There are designations in 45 states, as well as Guam.

Clifton “Buck” Krantz, with Lynchburg’s Chapter 1607 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, presented the Purple Heart Community sign to National D-Day Memorial Foundation President April Cheek-Messier at the Memorial site Thursday afternoon.

The nation’s oldest military medal, the Purple Heart was first created by General Washington in 1782 and was known as the Badge of Military Merit. The combat decoration is awarded to members of the armed forces who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in combat.

National Purple Heart Day will be observed Monday, Aug. 7, and Purple Heart veterans will receive free admission to the National D-Day Memorial that day.

Additionally, parking spaces close to the memorial ticketing location at the Bedford Area Welcome Center and on-site near the Memorial Gift Store are reserved for Purple Heart recipients to use during any visit.