Night-time visitors to Nahant this weekend may have noticed the town’s life-saving station awash in purple lights.
Hosted by Nahant’s American Legion Post 215 in honor of Purple Heart Day, the somber display — which highlighted the building’s American flag — served as a tribute to sacrifices made by the community’s Purple Heart recipients.
“It’s very important to remember and to thank and to recognize the people who gave up their civilian lives to devote to military service, for whatever reasons,” said Nahant Veterans Services officer Jon Lazar. “They stood up and fought for their country and were injured in the process.”
The Purple Heart is the country’s oldest military decoration and is awarded in the name of the President to veterans wounded or killed while serving.
It was first created in 1782 by General George Washington to recognize exemplary military service and was later reestablished by General Douglas McArthur in 1932. The medal itself is made of purple cloth cut into the shape of a heart with the word “merit” stitched onto it.
Lazar estimated Nahant currently has six residents who hold the distinction, although he added that number can be understandably hard to gauge.
“(Recipients) keep it hush hush,” he said. “They don’t always want to talk about it.”
Nahant wasn’t the only place “lighting it up purple” for the August 8 holiday. This year, the town joined several other communities — including Boston, Cambridge, Haverhill, Lawrence, Marshfield, Melrose, Saugus, Salem, Scituate, and Wakefield — in a statewide show of respect for those injured in the line of duty.
Nahant’s own display was visible August 7 through August 9.
Even though the COVID-19 pandemic meant a formal lighting ceremony wasn’t possible, Lazar said he was simply happy to see the town show support for its veterans.
“We try to remember them whenever we can, not just on Memorial Day or Veterans Day,” he said. “It’s important not just to the veterans who are involved in it, but also to pass the torch on to other generations … and (help us) remember why we have the freedoms that we have.”