McCaskill Secures Purple Heart for St. Peters, Mo. Veteran
Veteran requested assistance from Senator in receiving award 45 years after combat
ST. PETERS – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill attended a Purple Heart ceremony today at St. Peters City Hall honoring Vietnam veteran Patrick Howe, who was awarded a long-delayed Purple Heart with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters.
“This is one of the most important jobs I have,” said McCaskill, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and daughter of a World War II veteran. “Whether we keep our promises to veterans reflects on the character of our nation.”
Mr. Howe served in the Vietnam War where he was wounded in action in 1969. As a result, he was awarded a Purple Heart with a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster which recognized two of the three wounds he received. Mr. Howe did not receive two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters because his third wound was recorded but overlooked in his Service Treatment Records.
McCaskill’s office worked both with Mr. Howe and the U.S. Army to submit the necessary witness statements and documentation, and he was successfully approved for a Purple Heart with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters on August 12.
The award was presented to Mr. Howe by Brigadier General Gregory Champagne, Assistant Adjutant General-Air of the Missouri National Guard.