Earl Meyer, a 96-year-old Korean War veteran from southern Minnesota, has finally been awarded the Purple Heart medal, 73 years after he was wounded in combat. The U.S. Army initially denied Meyer’s applications for the medal due to insufficient documentation, but after a campaign by his daughters and attorney, an Army review board concluded that new evidence established beyond reasonable doubt that he was wounded in action.
Meyer was wounded in a mortar attack in Korea in June 1951. He didn’t realize at first that he had been wounded, and he thinks the medic who eventually treated him on the battlefield was killed before he could file the paperwork. Meyer finished out his tour guarding prisoners of war and was honorably discharged in 1952.
In the past decade, Meyer has opened up to his daughters about his war experiences, and they persuaded him to pursue a Purple Heart. They worked with his attorney to obtain additional documents, and an Army review board concluded last week that the new evidence was sufficient to establish that Meyer was wounded in action.
The Army’s top noncommissioned officer, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer, also played a role in Meyer’s case. Weimer said he believed Meyer’s account was accurate and that his medal request deserved another review.
Meyer’s case highlights the challenges that wounded veterans face when trying to obtain medals they have earned due to the fog of war, the absence of records, and the passage of time. As Meyer’s attorney, Alan Anderson, said, “It’s not just about saying thank you, it’s about remembering. Remembering all they did and their sacrifices, and the guys that didn’t make it back.”
