KWTX Television Named First Purple Heart Television Station

posted on 7.24.2017

The Military Order of the Purple Heart has designated KWTX Television as a Purple Heart Television Station.  The Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration still in present use and was initially created by George Washington in 1782 as the “Badge of Military Merit.”

The Purple Heart was the first American Service Award made available to the common soldier.  It is awarded to any member of the Unites States Armed Services wounded or killed in combat with a declared enemy of the United States.

The mission of the Military Order of the Purple Heart as chartered by an act of Congress is to foster an environment of goodwill among combat-wounded veterans and their families, to promote patriotism, to support related legislative initiatives and, most importantly, to make sure we never forget the sacrifices made by those so decorated.

The proclamation naming KWTX an official Purple Heart Television Station cites the station’s rich history of honoring service men and women through news interviews and most recently interviews with Vietnam Veterans in two news documentaries. 

KWTX received a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award and Lone Star Emmy in 2016 for the documentary, “We Can’t Forget Vietnam.”

This documentary is now part of the Department of Defense Website commemorating the 50^th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.

KWTX-TV has won a national Edward R. Murrow Award for its documentary “From the Ashes of Vietnam,” which tells the story of Marine veteran Bart Smith and his quest to find his first love and ex-wife Lynn after 44 years apart. 

The documentary captured the blossoming of the renewed relationship, which led to plans to remarry in what Lynn called a “fairy tale love story.” 

Bart Smith was featured in the earlier award-winning KWTX documentary, “We Can’t Forget Vietnam,” and his odyssey started four months after the documentary aired.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart, Department of Texas, Chapter 1876 and Ladies Auxiliary petitioned the national organization to honor KWTX on behalf of the active duty soldiers, veterans and their families, many of whom are Purple Heart recipients.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart presented the official proclamation naming KWTX Television the First Purple Heart Television Station in the United States during ceremonies unveiling the marker at the station on July 7, 2017.

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