 |
Purple Heart Recipients Remembered Over Holiday Season
(December 26, 2009) |
|
| MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (12/24/2009) — The Wounded Warrior Regiment
recently sent approximately 7,000 Christmas ornaments to Marine veterans across
the United States who received the Purple Heart following the Sept. 11, 2001,
terrorist attacks.
“We wanted to ensure every Marine who has been wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan
since 9/11 received a token of our gratitude,” said Capt. Lawrence Ribble, the
assistant operations officer at the regiment headquarters in here.
The ornament resembles the Purple Heart medal itself, with the inscription
“Etiam in Pugna” (Latin for “still in the fight”) on the front. |
 |
| The Wounded Warrior Regiment sent approximately 7,000 Christmas tree ornaments to Marines who received the Purple Heart after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
(December 24, 2009) |
|
Gunnery Sgt. Luis A. Ramos, the operations chief at the WWR, was in charge of
the ornament's design, in addition to locating the funds to support the project.
“My role was to hunt down an ornament and a place that would make a unique
design for us,” said Ramos.
ChemArt, a Washington-based company that produces Christmas ornaments for White
House celebrations, was eventually chosen to make the ornament. Ramos worked
with the company more than two months on the design before it went up the chain
of command for approval.
“I was extremely satisfied with the end state of the design,” Ramos said. “It
emphasizes our commitment to all the Purple Heart recipients out there. I don't
think any other branch of services recognizes their members in this way.”
The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund agreed to take on the costs of purchasing
10,000 ornaments from ChemArt.
Former Marines were located using the Marine Corps Total Force Tracking System,
and all the ornaments were mailed by Dec. 1, said Ribble.
Since then, the Wounded Warrior Regiment Call Center, located in Dumfries, has
received calls full of gratitude from former and present Marines.
“They're very grateful,” said Sharleen Anderson, a representative from the call
center. “They're happy to know they're being thought of at this time.”
Jeffrey Ransbottom, a Marine veteran who received the Purple Heart after an
incident in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004 and was medically discharged in 2007, received
one of the ornaments this month.
“It's a beautiful ornament,” said Ransbottom. “I called to thank them after I
got it. It's a good reminder that people still care.”
If you know of any Marines, present or former, who have not received an ornament
commemorating their service, contact 703-784-0577 | |
Article and photo by USMC LCpl. Lucas G. Lowe
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Copyright 2009
Reprinted from
Marine Corps News
Comment on this article |
|
