St. Thomas named Purple Heart City

State Commander John Dismer, left, presents a plaque declaring St. Thomas as a Purple Heart City at a Sunday ceremony at the St. Thomas City Hall.
State Commander John Dismer, left, presents a plaque declaring St. Thomas as a Purple Heart City at a Sunday ceremony at the St. Thomas City Hall.

Joseph Schmidt made the ultimate sacrifice for his country in May 1969, dying in combat in Da Nang, Vietnam.

Now, he and others like him from St. Thomas are being honored through the city's designation as a Purple Heart City.

Mayor Bob Schellman hosted a Sunday ceremony in which John Dismer, state commander of The Military Order of the Purple Heart, formalized the designation.

The Purple Heart is a medal given to members of the U.S. military who have been wounded or killed in action during war.

"It's a medal that no one seeks to obtain, but truly represents the high price paid for our freedom," Dismer said.

Only six-tenths of 1 percent of people who have served in the military have received the Purple Heart, he said, and half of those are awarded posthumously.

"The Military Order of the Purple Heart of Missouri would like to thank the City of St. Thomas for their proclamation of support," Dismer said. "It's heartwarming to us to have the appreciation of your community for the sacrifices of Purple Heart recipients expressed in such a meaningful way."

He said 56 counties and 166 cities in Missouri have the Purple Heart designations.

Schellman read a proclamation naming St. Thomas a Purple Heart City. In the proclamation, he encouraged city residents to fly their American flags as a way to show gratitude to those who have served "and are now serving to protect our nation and its freedom."

Many of those in attendance had loved ones who received the Purple Heart. Irene Boessen said her husband, John, received the medal, but didn't talk much about his experiences in the Korean War.

Linda Schmidt and Mary Ann Fennewald were there to honor Schmidt, their brother. For attendee Harriet Schmidt, Joseph Schmidt was her brother-in-law.

"I'm very happy about it, and I appreciate it," Linda Schmidt said. "I appreciate our town remembering him."