Aug. 7 is National Purple Heart Recognition Day. The Local Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart will receive a Proclamation from the Baldwin County Commission at its regularly scheduled meeting that day.

The Purple Heart was established on Aug. 7, 1782 in Newburgh, N.Y., during the Revolutionary War, when Gen. George Washington issued an order establishing the Honorary Badge of Distinction, otherwise known as the Badge of Military Merit, or the Decoration of the Purple Heart. On April 12, the United States Senate introduced legislation to support National Purple Heart Recognition Day, which honors all of those brave service members who were severely injured while serving their country and who were awarded a Purple Heart.

The Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit, commonly known as the Purple Heart, is the oldest military decoration in the world in present use. It is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to members of the Armed Forces who are wounded in conflict with an enemy force, or while held by an enemy force as a prisoner of war, and posthumously to the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces who are killed in conflict with an enemy force, or who die of a wound received in conflict with an enemy force. There are over 1,535,000 recipients of the Purple Heart Medal, approximately 550,000 of whom are still living.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) was founded in 1932 to protect and promote the mutual interests of Purple Heart recipients. MOPH is made up exclusively of Purple Heart recipients and is the only veterans’ service organization that is composed strictly of combat veterans.

Joe Birindelli, the commander of Chapter 2206 of the MOPH, which serves the Mobile area, invites anyone interested to attend the Baldwin County Commission meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 7 at 8:30 a.m., to see the county hail the area’s combat wounded.

“This is an opportunity for our local heroes to be recognized for their sacrifices,” said Birindelli, who added, “This proclamation is especially meaningful for the number of local soldiers who have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. These recent heroes need to be reminded of how much their community supports and appreciates their service.”

The local chapter of the MOPH is currently in danger of dissolving with the decline in numbers of World War II veterans who can no longer actively participate in Chapter activities, according to Birindelli.

“With no new blood in our organization, we are beginning to fade away. I am pleading with our local Purple Heart recipients to step forward and join the MOPH to keep the organization viable,” he said.

The current club membership is comprised of about 60, most of whom are World War II and Korean veterans, with a few from the Vietnam era and Gulf War.

“As a Vietnam veteran, I understand the reluctance of veterans to join any military oriented group. I withdrew from organizations and did not become active in veterans causes for over 30 years. I urge those who are hesitant to step forward and become a part of a great organization,” Birindelli said.

The group meets for breakfast on the third Saturday of every month at 8:30 in the back room of the Captains Table Restaurant next to the Battleship Park on the Causeway. For further information, contact Birindelli at 928-3292.”