PRESS RELEASE: Local Purple Heart Recipient Shannon Matthews to be Honored with Trip to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, West Point
Burnsville Army Veteran Chosen to Represent Minnesota’s Purple Heart Recipients
as Part of the 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project
(NEWBURGH, NY) – A local Purple Heart recipient has been chosen to be one of the nation’s 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project honorees. U.S. Army Corporal (CPL) Shannon Matthews will represent his fellow Purple Heart heroes as Minnesota’s representative at a multi-day tribute to the courage and sacrifice of America’s combat wounded. The Purple Heart Patriot Project is a program of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. The all-expenses-paid trip includes visits to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, historic Washington’s Headquarters, a special tour of the newly renovated National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and other tributes to service.
“Shannon and his fellow Patriot Project honorees are true American heroes,” said Richie Lay, a Purple Heart recipient and chairman of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. “America’s Purple Heart veterans have given so much to defend freedom and that sacrifice must always be remembered. We are privileged to be able to provide this unique salute to service for our Purple Heart heroes.”
“Our Purple Heart recipients have made enormous sacrifices for America and this is our opportunity to say ‘thank you’ on behalf of a grateful nation. For some, this will be like the homecoming they never had. We received hundreds of nominations from across the country and we look forward to honoring Shannon for his sacrifice and lifelong service to his community,” said Col. Russ Vernon (Ret.), executive director for the National Purple Heart Honor Mission.
Matthews, who is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, first served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard for four years, before enlisting in the U.S. Army in April 1992. In September 1994, while serving as part of Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, Matthews was stabbed in the leg by an enemy combatant in close contact fighting. Along with his Purple Heart, CPL Matthews was awarded numerous medals and commendations during his service, including the Air Assault Badge, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, as well as the Southeast Asia Service Medal.
Upon completing his time in the military, Matthews went back to school and completed his degree in Business at Oklahoma State University – Tulsa campus, where he was recognized as a “Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities.” After completing his degree, Mr. Matthews went on to work in the civilian world, including positions with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Army Recruiting Command, Army Reserve Contracting Agency, before eventually retiring from the Army Corps of Engineers in 2012. To help give back to his fellow veterans, especially those who enroll in college later in life, in 2010 Matthews established the Shannon L. Matthews Veterans Scholarship at his alma mater, Tulsa Community College.
Asked what younger Americans should know about his service, CPL Matthews said, “It was an honor to serve when I did and I wouldn’t trade those adventures for any amount of money."
The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located just north of West Point, New York, near the site where General George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit in 1782 during the Revolutionary War. The badge, shaped like a purple heart was the forerunner of today’s medal. In addition to creation of the museum, the National Purple Heart Honor Mission was instrumental in the creation of the Purple Heart Forever stamp now issued by the US Postal Service, and the organization was the driving force behind bipartisan legislation establishing the nation’s first official Purple Heart Commemorative Coin, which will be minted in 2022.
Those wishing to learn more about the National Purple Heart Honor Mission or donate to support the Purple Heart Patriot Project should visit www.PurpleHeartMission.org.
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