A reminder of the sacrifices being made by many:
Artist Roger Baker mowed a 1,000-foot long rendition of the medal, covering 850,000 square feet, into a field at Thomas Bull Memorial Park in Hamtonburgh, N.Y., near the town where the first awards were presented to Revolutionary War soldiers. Baker said his creation is a “gift of art” to the American public.
The art work was unveiled Aug. 5, two days before the medal’s 75th anniversary. The park is in the same county as The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, near where the medal was initially established.
“I’ve never dealt with the emotions involved with loss and tragedy associated with war,” Baker said. “This forced me to think about it, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and it brought up some feelings and I had to pursue those feelings.”
Baker said the project happened after a chance meeting with a Military Order of the Purple Heart official. A quick series of local meetings with officials of The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and the Orange County Commission of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, and it was a done deal.
The gently sloping field — a mixture of grass and purple clover, which lends the design it signature color — will last for another six to 10 days without any touch-ups, Baker said. His hope is he will be allowed to maintain the artwork until Veterans Day.
Wikipedia has an excellent entry on the meaning and history of the medal.
One Response
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January 26th, 2010 at 10:55 am
I have viewed this site many time, it is turly a work of art and reflects the appreation America has to his Military Men and Woman serving in harmsway. I wish I could have seen it in person. but the war keeps me busy. I have served in the Army 37 years and received the Purple Heart. I am honored that someone created such a work of art, and sit in wounder how it was done. It must have been one good lawn mower and a lot of time and hard work. I will always remeber it and recheck this site to see it again. I am honored. CSM Mark B. Duwel