After 73 long years, Korean War veteran Earl Meyer, 96, of St. Peter, Minnesota, will finally receive his Purple Heart medal. The U.S. Army notified Meyer on Monday that it has reversed its previous decision and granted him the Purple Heart, which honors service members wounded or killed in combat. The decision came after an extensive campaign by Meyer’s daughters and attorney, supported by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
Meyer was wounded in action in June 1951, but his initial applications for the Purple Heart were denied due to insufficient documentation. However, with the help of Sen. Klobuchar’s office, additional documents were obtained, and an Army review board concluded last week that the new evidence establishes beyond reasonable doubt that Meyer was wounded in combat.
The board cited records from the Department of Veterans Affairs, where doctors concluded that the shrapnel in Meyer’s thigh had to be from a combat injury and noted that it continued to cause him occasional pain. The board also cited a memo from Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer, dated Feb. 27, who said he believed Meyer’s account was accurate and that his medal request deserved another review.
Meyer’s case highlights the challenges wounded veterans face in obtaining medals they have earned, especially when time and the absence of records make it difficult to produce proof. Meyer’s daughters and attorney have been working on his case for about eight or nine years, and they are now hoping to arrange a presentation ceremony ‘in the near future.’
“Seventy-three years, yeah. That’s a long time all right. … I didn’t think they would go for it,” Meyer said in an interview Tuesday.
“Earl Meyer put his life on the line in defense of our freedoms, and we are forever indebted to him for his service,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “Earl earned this Purple Heart, and I am so glad that we were able to work with his family and the Army to get him the recognition he deserves.”
