These Stories of Valor are part of an ongoing oral history program of the Honor Project to ensure the experiences of our combat wounded and those who gave their all in the service of America are remembered for generations to come.
Michael Perron enlisted into the U.S. Army in 2002 and served for more than four years as a member of the 10th Mountain Division and the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Division. While serving in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, SGT Perron received shrapnel wounds when a suicide bomber struck his platoon.
Read MoreWilliam "Billy" Dobbs enlisted in the Army in 1986, joining with the 2nd battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, serving as a Paratrooper. He later served with 101st Airborne Division, where he taught Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare. In total, Dobbs served for 23 years, including Desert Storm.
Read MoreJohn "Todd" Swanson enlisted into the U.S. Army in October 1967, serving for the next two years, including a tour in Vietnam.
Read MorePatrick Burgess enlisted into the U.S. Army in June 1967, right after high school. Because he was only 17 years old, his father had to sign for him.
Read MoreBlanca Taylor enlisted in the Army National Guard in August 2002 and served for more than a decade as a member of the 1864th Motor Transport Company, including a deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Read MoreLouis Zayas was drafted into the U.S. Army in October 1965 and for the next two years. While serving as a helicopter door gunner escorting other troops into a hot Landing Zone in Vietnam, Zayas’ unit came under heavy fire. During the firefight he was struck in the thigh from an explosion.
Read MoreIn July 2004, while on a routine patrol in West Baghdad, the vehicle Sgt. Manyoma’s was traveling in was right next to a suicide car bomber as it exploded. As the smoke cleared, Harrison heard the enemy engaging with AK-47s. Manyoma sprang into action, providing first aid to his medic and then returning fire to hold off the enemy.
Read MoreU.S. Army Sergeant Randy McConnell is one of the Army's most decorated veterans of all time, having earned seven Purple Hearts, two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star for Valor and an Army Commendation Medal for Valor in Vietnam.
Read MoreU.S. Marine Corps SGT C.M. Padgett, Purple Heart Recipient - Operation Iraqi Freedom
Read MoreIn July 1969, then-Corporal Camarillo was serving as part of the 101st Airborne Division in the A Shau Valley in Vietnam when he was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). The blast struck Camarillo under his throat, on the right side of his chest, and damaged both his ears and eyes.
Read MoreIn April 1970, while on patrol in the Vietnam jungle, SGT Carrillo’s unit was ambushed from an enemy bunker that was previously unknown to them. During the attack, Carrillo suffered a gunshot wound to the back of his head.
Read MoreDuring 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.
Read MoreAlbert Lirette was drafted into the U.S. Army in July 1967. During his service, Lirette was stationed on a Navy ship that conducted search-and-destroy operations over the course of two years and he was awarded four Purple Hearts.
Read MoreAt approximately 10:00 a.m. on February 14, 1979, the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was stormed by Fadaiyan-e-Khalq militants. During the attack, United States Marine Corps Sergeant Kenneth Kraus, who was only 22 years old, and two other marines were in the Embassy cafeteria with more than 18 civilians.
Read MoreJustin Burdette joined the Army in March 2006. He had three combat deployments - the first to Iraq and the other two to Afghanistan. Three months into his third deployment, on June 9, 2013, Justin and his platoon were on a dismounted patrol in Wardak province when they received incoming fire. Justin was hit with a 107 mm rocket.
Read MoreMike Gauthier joined the Army in East Hartford, Connecticut, in 1968. While serving with the 25th Infantry Division, Gauthier was wounded 1969 during fighting in Vietnam, and sent to Japan.
Read MoreJames Adams was born and raised in New Jersey. Shortly after completing his sophomore year of high school, he decided to enlist in the Marine Corps, and served with them for several years in the turbulent 1920s and 1930s. (1) Upon retiring, he married, found a non-service occupation as a signal plant mechanic in New Jersey, and spent several peaceful years as a civilian before the second war came.
Read MoreLouisiana's representative during the inaugural Purple Heart Patriot Project, Danny Brown was wounded while on a mine sweeping mission in Chu-Lai, Vietnam in March 1971.
Read MoreGeorge Mabe was a member of the 101st Airborne, serving his country for three years during the Vietnam War.
Read MoreU.S. Marine Corps Sgt Leonard Lazzara of North Carolina served on active duty between 1967 and 1969. Today, Lazzara remains active in the Purple Heart community through his service with the MOPH.
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