U.S. Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA), a Vietnam War veteran, on May 22 sponsored a bipartisan bill that would outlaw the sale of any Purple Heart medal presented by the federal government to a wounded U.S. Armed Forces member or the service member’s family.
“The Purple Heart is a symbol of sacrifice and heroism awarded to those who were killed or wounded in combat. It’s not a collector’s item,” said Rep. Cook. “Profiteering from re-sale of the Purple Heart medal has to stop.”
Rep. Cook unveiled the Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act, H.R. 2911, to enact penalties for the sale of any Purple Heart, which his office said get sold on the military collectors’ market for thousands of dollars.
“The fact that this market exists cheapens the sacrifice of the service members who earned” Purple Hearts, Rep. Cook said.
Among the nine members who joined Rep. Cook in introducing the bill are cosponsors U.S. Reps. Ken Calvert (R-CA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Stephanie Murphy (D-FL).
H.R. 2911 is named for Private Corrado Piccoli, a World War II infantryman killed in action in 1944, according to information provided by the congressman’s office. A Purple Heart medal engraved with his name was sent to Piccoli’s family notifying them of his death. But after his parents died, the medal was lost.
The medal was found in 2011 by U.S. Army Captain Zachariah Fike, who researched the Piccoli name and then returned it to his surviving siblings. In 2012, Fike established Purple Hearts Reunited, which returns lost, stolen and misplaced military medals of valor to veterans or their families to honor their sacrifice to the nation.
Rep. Cook, a retired colonel who served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, earned several military honors during his 26 years of service, including two Purple Hearts after being wounded twice in combat.
“The best way to preserve the honor of our veterans is to ensure that the medals end up with whom they belong: the families of those who earned them,” the congressman said.