Cong. Smith congratulates Purple Heart recipient Daniel Passarella, of Brick, NJ.
WWII veteran Daniel Passarella's family showed up en masse for his Purple Heart presentation.
Mr. Passarella sits at Cong. Smith's desk with some of his grandchildren and great grandchildren, and chats with reporters.
In October 1944, Private First Class Daniel Passarella made a simple request of the U.S. Army. After being honorably discharged due to injuries sustained at the Allied invasion of Normandy, he asked that he be sent the Military Order of the Purple Heart medal—if he was entitled to it.
Today, 68 years after the battle, Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) in cooperation with the Army, finally fulfilled that request and presented Passarella, who will turn 90 next month, with the Purple Heart to which he was indeed entitled.
“You have served your country faithfully and selflessly during one of the bloodiest wars in our nation’s history, and fought in one of the pivotal battles,” said Smith, former Chairman of the House Veterans Committee. “I am sorry you didn’t get this long before today, but I want you to know that a grateful nation honors you and all those who were hurt in combat, in defense of our country and democracy.”
Smith presented the hallowed medal—created by none other than George Washington himself in 1782—to the combat veteran who was injured during Operation Overlord and the Allied Normandy invasion during World War II. The medal is reserved only for those service members who have been injured in action.
Passarella was part of the 101st Airborne Division and its Glider Infantry. Due to a shortage of planes to tow gliders, he entered France via ship. He landed in Normandy, and on June 8, two days after Allied forces began landing on D-Day on June 6, was injured with shrapnel to his right shoulder and right knee. He was treated on the beaches of Carentan, France, and sent to London for treatment, and ultimately back to the U.S. for hospitalization.
The New Jersey man sought the medal from the Army without success, and requested Smith’s assistance in 2011 to obtain it. Smith wrote to Maj. Gen. Frederick Hodges at the Department of the Army about the case, supplying clear supporting documentation, such as a telegram sent to his mother about his injury, a copy of his honorable discharge issued from a hospital, and other documents.
