ADC Honor Guard attends Purple Heart Ceremony

 

September 19, 2012

Members of the Arizona Department of Corrections participated in a special recognition ceremony for a Purple Heart recipient from World War II. The event was conducted by Pinal County Law Enforcement agencies and ADC staff included Lt. Barry Fernandez, CO III Mindi Kraicinski, and Sgt. Katina Murphy.

On June 13, a former Marine who fought the Japanese at Iwo Jima and was wounded by both a Japanese buzz bomb and a grenade but never received his Purple Heart, was met by two rows of law enforcement agencies. Police officers, Firemen, K-9, Military and distinguished personal proudly saluted Jim S. Keller as he entered the Fred A. Humphreys American Legion Post 8 building, where he was finally awarded his Purple Heart after all these years.

Mr. Keller and his family were grateful and appreciative of such an honor for this recognition. During the ceremony, several agencies presented Mr. Keller with their agency Challenge Coins and a Multi-Agency Honor Guard presented him with a U.S. Flag. The National Anthem and God Bless America were elegantly sung by Sgt. Murphy, with everyone joining in. Sgt. Murphy says she was so proud to be a part of a heroic recognition and "truly proud to be in the presence of History."

 

Purple Heart recipient Jim Keller and Sgt. Katina Murphy