Posted on: Saturday, February 12, 2005

Medal winners to be honored at Pro Bowl

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

Approximately 80 Purple Heart recipients with service from World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan will be recognized during pre-game ceremonies and during the singing of the national anthem at tomorrow's Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium.

About 40 Schofield Barracks soldiers wounded in recent deployments, about a dozen Marines, a couple of Navy corpsmen and Hawai'i veterans from World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars will be among those honored, organizers said.

"From what I got, everybody's pretty excited and think it's an honor that they would be asked," said Capt. Kathy Turner, a Schofield spokeswoman.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart, the only congressionally chartered organization exclusively for combat wounded veterans, arranged to have a salute to service members at six NFL games during the regular season and is behind the Pro Bowl tribute.

Dale Wilson, a retired Army major, Vietnam combat veteran, and Region 6 commander for the Purple Heart organization on the Big Island, said, "We're really trying to reach out to this younger generation of casualties."

Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, head of Pacific Command, will get coin-toss honors with several Purple Heart recipients from different services and Navy Region Hawai'i commander Rear Adm. Michael C. Vitale assisting, said Erin Olmstead, the pregame producer for the Pro Bowl.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.