Palmetto Bay becomes first Purple Heart city in South Florida

Flag-raising ceremony held to commemorate honor

PALMETTO BAY, Fla. – Palmetto Bay has become the first South Florida municipality to become a Purple Heart city.

A flag-raising ceremony was held Sunday to commemorate the honor, which was bestowed by the American Legion, Marlin Moore Post No. 133 and the Military Order of the Purple Heart Veterans.

The Purple Heart is a U.S. military medal awarded by the president to those wounded or killed while serving in the line of service.

Mayor Eugene Flinn issued a proclamation "honoring the service and sacrifice of our nation's men and women wounded or killed by the enemy while serving to protect the freedom enjoyed by all Americans."

File: Proclamation recognizing Palmetto Bay as Purple Heart city

U.S. Rep. Illeana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., and several Purple Heart recipients were on hand for Sunday's ceremony. Photographer Meghan Amato shared pictures from the ceremony with Local 10 News.


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Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.