PRESS RELEASE: Local Purple Heart Recipient Eddie Abbey to be Honored with Trip to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, West Point
Wilmington Army Veteran Chosen to Represent North Carolina’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. Ed Abbey will represent his fellow Purple Heart heroes as North Carolina’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.
“Eddie 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 Ed for his sacrifice and lifelong service to his community,” said Col. Russ Vernon (Ret.), executive director for the National Purple Heart Honor Mission.
Abbey shared that service to him meant, “That we are a part of thing greater than any individual part of the whole.” When asked what younger Americans should know about his service, Abbey said, “While many were and are called forward and I was just one of them, but everything that was placed before me made me a better soldier, a better leader, and a better person.”
Abbey enlisted in the U.S. Army and served his nation for more than 25 years, first from May 1970 through August 1986, then again from January 1994 through February 2006. During the later half of his service career, Abbey was deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom II and III. On February 21, 2005, Abbey was wounded by shrapnel from an IED on Main Supply Route (MSR) Tampa just outside Samarra, Iraq. At the time, he was in command of a tactical movement team escorting a team of engineers to assess damage done by a previous IED on the MSR, when Abbey team was ambushed. Along with his Purple Heart, he was awarded numerous medals and commendations during his service, including the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal and more.
Along with his service on active duty, Abbey continues to help his fellow veterans as a life member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled Veterans of America, American Legion and Association of the United States Army. Married to his wife, Leila, the couple share a blended family of 10, and Abbey is a grandfather to 24.
The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located just north of West Point, New York, near the site where General George Washington created 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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