Idaho Press: Purple Heart Patriots Honored

By Natalie Holsten, For the Idaho Press

Aug 16, 2019

Purple Heart recipients from around the country were honored recently in Newburgh, New York as part of the Purple Heart Patriot Project Mission #1, an effort of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor to pay special tribute to the nation’s combat wounded.

Representing the state of Idaho was U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant Donald Turano, a Vietnam War veteran from Meridian. Turano and 32 other Purple Heart recipients were part of several days of tours and ceremonies, including a “Welcome Home” ceremony to the home of the Purple Heart.

According to the National Purple Heart of Honor website, the forerunner of the Purple Heart was the Badge of Military Merit, established by Gen. George Washington in Newburgh on Aug. 7, 1782, during the Revolutionary War. The award was then virtually forgotten until the 20th century when the Purple Heart was created in 1932 in recognition of Washington’s ideals. Since then, an estimated 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded.

Turano was able to tour the U.S. Military Academy West Point, historic Washington’s Headquarters and the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor — the museum dedicated to paying tribute to our nation’s combat wounded — on National Purple Heart Day, August 7.

“There were two highlights of the trip,” Turano said in an email interview. “The first was to tour West Point and to see and hear the great history of that institution. The second highlight was, of course, a visit to the Purple Heart Hall of Honor and Museum. Each one of us was videotaped to talk about our experiences in Vietnam which will now become part of an interactive display. It felt amazing to be part of a group of hero Vietnam Veterans.”

In 1968, Turano went to Vietnam as a 2nd Lieutenant armored platoon leader in the 1st Squadron 1st Cavalry Regiment of the 23rd Infantry. He was wounded on Nov. 12, 1968 when his platoon was ambushed by enemy fighters.

Originally from New York, Turano and his wife, Maureen, have been living in the Treasure Valley since 2004. He is an active member of VFW Post 63, POW/MIA Corporation, Vietnam Veterans of America and The Military Order of The Purple Heart.

“It was a great honor to represent Idaho and I felt proud that I could do so,” Turano said.