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A local Purple Heart recipient has been chosen to be one of the nation’s 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project honorees. U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Robert Sodergren of Harwinton, a Vietnam War veteran, will represent his fellow Purple Heart heroes as Connecticut’s representative at a multi-day tribute to the courage and sacrifice of American’s combat wounded.

Sodergren served on active duty for three years, from 1965 to 1968, including time with the 101st Airborne Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. During Operation Junction City, SSG Sodergren was on a recon patrol when he was ambushed. During the attack, Sodergren suffered a shrapnel wound to the head. In addition to his Purple Heart, Mr. Sodergren received numerous commendations and awards, including the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Army Commendation Medal and more. After being discharged, he started his own contracting business. Robert and his wife, Maureen, have three children and six grandchildren.

A twenty-year veteran of the U.S. Army, former CSM Evans enlisted in September 1948. His career took him across the country and around the world. Evans earned his Purple Heart during his tour of duty in Korea in September 1950, when then-SGT Evans was acting as a Forward Observer with G-Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Evans and his unit came under mortar fire. When the shelling stopped the men started advancing. When a new round of shelling started, a mortar landed right behind him in his foxhole. Evans was evacuated to a Tokyo, Japan, hospital.

Former Marine Cpl Hurley enlisted in February 1969. On January 6, 1970, while a member of 1st Battalion, 7Th Marines, 1st Marine Division stationed at LZ Ross the base became overrun by North Vietnamese who were masquerading as Marines. Hurley, who was in his foxhole with three fellow Marines, was injured when a NVA soldier ran past and threw a satchel charge into the hole. The attack left him with shrapnel wounds and damaged ear drums.

A thirty-five-year veteran of the U.S. Army, former SGM Blair enlisted in February 1982. In July 2012, while deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, Blair was returning from a patrol in Zabul Province when the vehicle where he was the gunner was hit by a improvised explosive device (IED). As the vehicle rolled to the side of the road, insurgents started firing at the Americans, the blasts knocked Blair out and he woke up at the FOB and was airlifted for treatment to Kandahar.

Guest speakers for the event were Vietnam veteran Danny Murphy, who serves as vice president of the Silverhill Veterans Memorial Organization, and Korean veteran Ed Evans, a Purple Heart recipient who was recently tapped as Alabama’s honoree for the 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project which will be held in New York in April of next year.

NEWBURGH – Dozens of Purple Heart heroes have been chosen to represent their states as honorees for the 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project, the National Purple Heart Honor Mission based in Newburgh, announced this Veteran’s Day.

SILVERHILL, Ala. (WKRG) — Seventy years ago, Ed Evans was literally fighting for his life on a hill in North Korea. A four-day assault would end with him being airlifted out of the warzone and shipped to Japan where surgeons would struggle to save his left leg after a mortar explosion. Eventually, they were successful.

They will bear the scars of war for a lifetime, but also have the admiration of all Americans. Dozens of Purple Heart heroes have been chosen to represent their states as honorees for the 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project, the National Purple Heart Honor Mission announced this Veteran's Day.

Dan Eddinger, Connecticut's honoree during Purple Heat Patriot Project Mission #1, joined National Report on NewsmaxTV on Veteran's Day to talk about his experience in the first Patriot Project mission, how the Honor Mission is set to honor a new class of honorees and what Veteran’s Day means to him.

National Purple Heart Honor Mission Executive Director Russ Vernon joins America's Voice Live with Tudor Dixon and Steve Gruber to talk about the 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project honorees and the Honor Mission's efforts to help share our Purple Heart veterans stories with future generations.

PORTLAND, Maine — An organization honoring wounded veterans is looking to honor a service member from Maine.