BLYTHEWOOD – Approximately 60 people attended the Town of Blythewood’s annual Purple Heart dinner on Aug. 7 at the Manor. Those attending included Purple Heart recipients and their families and town hall staff and elected officials.
The welcome was extended by Mayor Sloan Griffin, and Dr. Jacqueline Aiken, director of New Life Institute, sung the national anthem. Elemental Foods catered the dinner, courtesy of Town Hall.
Griffin, along with Mayor Pro Tem Donald Brock, and Councilwomen Andrea Fripp and Erica Page presented flowers to Mary Miller, in honor of her late husband, James Miller 71, Sergeant First Class (Retired), a Purple Heart recipient.
The program noted that Miller ‘bravely served during the Vietnam War and received the Purple Heart for his wounds in combat during a rocket attack to base while stationed in Nhe Trang, South Vietnam in July 1970, attached to 1st Field Force.’
After returning home, he continued to serve his country in the US Army Reserve, retiring in 2005 with 20 years of service.
In recognition of his service to South Carolina, he was honored with the Order of the Palmetto in 2018.
Sergeant First Class (Retired), Jamal Washington, who serves as Commander of Chapter 402 Military Order of the Purple Heart, was also recognized for his military service.
Some of Washington’s assignments include: 47th FSB Company in Baumholder, Germany; 58th Transportation in Ft Leonard Wood, MO; 515th Transportation in Mannheim, Germany; Drill Sergeant at Ft Jackson, SC; and Military Transition Team at Fort Riley, Kansas/Iraq.
Washington has been deployed and conducted operations which include: Operation Joint Endeavor Implementation Force (IFOR) in Bosnia; Operation Victory Strike in Poland; Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.
At the end of the evening, Griffin read a proclamation designating Purple Heart Day.
