Soldiers Receive Purple Hearts as New Stamp is Unveiled

WASHINGTON -- As a new version of the Purple Heart stamp was unveiled Tuesday, more wounded soldiers received Purple Hearts of their own.

In a ceremony at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Retired Gen. Colin Powell awarded Purple Hearts to two men wounded by IEDs in Iraq.

"When the time came, they were there. When the time came, they showed up, when the time came they showed bravery. When the time came, they stood by their fellow buddies. When the time came they stood by the nation, they did not turn away, did not blink, did not find an excuse to be somewhere else. And we as a nation owe this simple declaration to everyone who is entitled to it. We owe more than that. We owe our heartfelt thanks and beyond that, we owe all that we can do for our wounded warriors to recover," Powell says.

After the ceremony, 22-year-old Sgt. Robert Evans, who lost his arm in Iraq, said receiving the Purple Heart was an emotional experience.

"I had a friend pass away recently, right before I was wounded so, I remember my soldiers who are back in Iraq," Evans says.

Marcus Labodie got out of his wheelchair to accept his Purple Heart award next to General Colin Powell. Labodie says he received the award with mixed emotions.

"None of my buddies that are still over there are going to see this," Labodie says.

Tuesday's ceremony marks the third time the 75-year-old Purple Heart stamp has been re-issued.

(Copyright 2007 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)