The City of Converse is accepting applications to add more names to its Purple Heart Heroes Monument, continuing an effort to honor service members who were wounded or killed while serving the United States.
For the past five years, Converse officials have worked to identify Purple Heart recipients who live in the city or have ties to the community. So far, they have located 15 recipients in a city with a population of more than 30,000.
Their names are engraved on the city’s Heroes Memorial in front of the Converse Community Center, and there is plenty of space for more honorees.
“We try to add about two or three per year, at least,” Converse Mayor Al Suarez said.
The city partners with the American Legion to review applications. Once a recipient is verified, the veteran’s name is etched onto the pillar representing the military branch in which they served. The new names are unveiled on Veterans Day.
Suarez said the goal is “to always recognize and thank the veterans because it is a hard job.”
Army veteran Michael Rodriguez, a Purple Heart recipient, said he remembers what it felt like when the city recognized him.
“It was exciting,” Rodriguez said. “I felt very heartwarming to see the amount of people that showed up.”
Rodriguez received his Purple Heart in 2011. He said having his name on the monument is not about personal recognition, but about preserving the stories of local service members for future generations.
“One day I’m not going to be here,” Rodriguez said. “It’d be good for today’s kids to come back in 50 years and say, ‘We’ve had people within Converse that did this.’”
Among the names already honored is Lt. Col. Karen J. Wagner, who was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon.
“Serving as the chief medical officer for the Pentagon. And she was a Converse resident. She graduated from Judson High School,” Suarez explained.
Converse Fire Chief Luis Valdez said the city hopes to eventually share more about each honoree online.
“I think eventually we’d like to have a story for each name on our website and people can learn more about them,” he added.
You can fill out the application below before Friday, Nov. 6, and email it to dsahanek@conversetx.gov.
Converse seeks Purple Heart recipients for Veterans Day monument tribute by Rebecca Salinas
For more information, you can call 210-988-1621.
The city will also be holding a Veterans Parade on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m.
