Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Unsung Hero (12/07/06)
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TITLE: The Purple Heart | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lauri Gruen
12/14/06 -
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As they settled into their usual game of checkers, they started talking about everything under the sun. Lizzie knew there was a story brewing, which would surely delight her imagination. Listening to Grandpa’s stories was better than reading any adventure novel.
This particular afternoon, Grandpa’s voice sounded just a bit different. He still wore his big smile, but there seemed to be something hiding behind his deep eyes.
“Lizzie, I have something to give you that I’ve never shown anybody before,” Grandpa started.
He took out a small, grey jewelry box. Lizzie thought he was going to show her his great-grandmother’s wedding ring or some other family heirloom.
Inside the box was a gold and purple heart attached to a purple ribbon. She had never seen anything like it before and wondered what kind of store would sell something so unique.
“What is this, Grandpa?” she asked.
“Well, it’s a long story. A story I’ve never told anyone before, not your mama or even her mama. It is time to tell you this one, my dear sweet Lizzie, who has always eagerly listened to my war stories with compassion.”
As he continued, Lizzie’s eyes widened. She knew she did not want to miss this story.
“I’ve told you a lot about the war, Lizzie - some things I haven’t thought about in 60 years, some things I have never stopped thinking about since the day they happened. I told you I was a medic aide in the army. My job was to gather the wounded and bring them back to the medical unit for treatment. Sometimes, it was pretty scary walking through those fields.”
“One day, I was carrying a young boy, about my age, on a stretcher to the Triage. For a moment in the midst of the shellfire, I could almost picture the two of us playing stickball on the street together back home. But not on this day, in this world. I ran as quickly as I could, as if carrying a huge bucket of gold nuggets and not wanting to spill a single one, and brought the boy to the doctors and nurses.”
“All of a sudden, an officer said to me, ““Private, what happened to your leg?””
“I didn’t know what he was talking about and looked down to see blood seeping through my uniform.”
““Oh, I guess I got caught in a little crossfire and I didn’t notice. It’s really nothing; I must’ve just grazed it.””
“The nurses attended to it and I was as good as new. I really did not want to make a big deal of it, considering all the genuine courage I witnessed every day. But apparently the commanding officer took notice and made a recommendation that I receive the Purple Heart award.”
Immersed in this incredible story, Lizzie finally asked, “Grandpa, why didn’t you ever tell anyone all these years about this act of bravery or show any of us your medal?”
He replied, “Oh, darling, if you saw the things I did, and I hope you never do, you would realize how insignificant this act was. I was just doing my job. All around me men were taking bullets head on, without a chance of survival. Those men were the real freedom fighters. Why should I be honored because I got a scraped knee?”
“Now that you finally told someone, don’t you want to tell anybody else, like Mama?”
“My sweet granddaughter, I would rather keep it our secret, OK? Please keep this medal not to remember me by, but to remember the price paid for our country’s freedom.”
It was not long after this afternoon of checkers and heart-to-heart conversation that the Lord took Lizzie’s grandfather home. At the funeral, Lizzie finally told the story of her grandfather’s humble bravery. Although he never picked up a weapon to fire, every day he risked his life to help others. In life, he did not seek glory for himself; in death, not only did he receive a 21–gun salute and full military burial, but the Lord exalted him to a place of honor among the angels and saints.
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My favorite line was the one where the grandfather is described as transporting the wounded man "as if carrying a huge bucket of gold nuggets and not wanting to spill a single one." It gave me a clear sense of his care and dedication to those he served.
Thank you for sharing this story!