Thursday marked the 243rd anniversary of Gen. George Washington presenting three soldiers in his Continental Congress with the “Badge of Military Merit” — later to become the Purple Heart.
Also on Thursday, members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 1836 gathered at Boerne’s Veterans Plaza for the dedication of the Purple Heart Monument, honoring all service members who have been wounded or killed while serving their country.
Mark Sierra — better known in the area as Chef Mark — told the crowd assembled under the bright morning sunshine of the humble beginnings of the Purple Heart Project, organized to support and honor all Purple Heart recipients.
The Purple Heart Project began “with just a steak dinner at my restaurant (Compadres Hill Country Cocina) for National Purple Heart Day back in 2020,” Sierra said.
“I believe we had about five guys Purple Heart recipients, maybe. It started from there and every year, it’s carried on and just got bigger and bigger and we had to move it into an actual events center,” he said.
In attendance at the ceremony were members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 1836. Chapter Adjutant Bill Crumlett thanked Boerne for the honor bestowed on Purple Heart recipients with the dedication of the monument.
Crumlett told the story of Washington first bestowing the Badge of Military Merit, “an act subsequently revived on Washington’s 200th birthday in 1932 as the Purple Heart as we know it,” Crumlett said. “It is the oldest decoration earned by U.S. servicemen and women. So this monument is a great honor.”
Sierra recounted his own military missions, including being the driver of a military vehicle that struck an improvised explosive device (IED).
“It got everybody in the striker, my lieutenant, my platoon sergeant,” he said. “It was a fire support vehicle and so they all received a Purple Heart.”
Through the years, he said he’s seen some wounded warriors struggle with their health, with PTSD, and trying to adjust to society. He said he felt he had to do something to bring Purple Heart recipients out.
“The best part about the Purple Heart Project is we host events that involve Purple Heart recipients,” he said, “and bring them together. As you can see right now, all these Purple Heart recipients are here, right now, they’re here for one another.”
Chapter 1836 representatives gave Sierra a plaque in tribute to his organization and for organizing the fundraiser that led to the monument’s creation and installation in June.
Sierra thanked all who gathered and had words for another group of people affected by the military service of loved ones.
“Hopefully by this time next year, we’re looking in September, we’re hoping to mirror this same monument on the opposite end (of Veterans Plaza), but we’re going to do it for the Gold Star families.,” he said, referring to the Gold Stars given to families when a family member dies in battle. “That’s our next goal.”
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