Cortlandt Named State's First Purple Heart Veteran's Town

Editor's Note: The following was submitted by Cortlandt town Supervisor Linda Puglisi.

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The Town of Cortlandt is proud to be named the first Purple Heart Town in New York State by the Military Order of the Purple Heart Veterans Chapter 21. Purple Heart Veterans are true heroes. They are great Americans who have defended our Country and our freedoms and were wounded in combat. The first Purple Heart Medal was issued in 1932.

William Nazarrio, Chairman of our Cortlandt Hudson Valley Veteran’s Committee is a Purple Heart recipient from the Vietnam War and works tirelessly as an advocate for Veterans from every era. Also, the Purple Heart Chapter 21 was granted their request by Supervisor Puglisi and the Town Board to place their memorial on Town Hall property to be completed in 2013. They had written to the Town and we all agreed that it would be an honor to have this memorial at Town Hall.

“It is with great honor that we at the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Dept. of NY congratulate and thank the Town of Cortlandt on being proclaimed the first Purple Heart Town in the State of New York. The Purple Heart is an American decoration-the oldest military decoration in the world in present use, and the first American award available to the common soldier. This proclamation honors the many residents who have been wounded or killed defending our great nation‘s liberties since the birth of our nation. it is a tribute to our active duty military and Veterans alike for their faithful service and sacrifice. This proclamation acknowledges What the Veterans and citizens of Cortlandt have always said and lived by, "That Freedom is not Free". 1, Ir. Vice Cmdr. William Nazario on behalf of the Dept. of NY Military Order of the Purple Heart thank Town Supervisor Linda Puglisi and the Town board for its many years of continuing service and support of our Veterans and their families”. 

Yours in Patriotism, William "Willy” Nazario, Jr. Vice (Irwin—Dept. ofNY Military Order of the Purple Heart