Kentucky WWII Veteran Glenn Fisher Receives Long-Awaited Purple Heart After 81-Year Wait
A World War II veteran from Kentucky, Glenn Fisher, who was wounded in combat against Nazi Germany, has finally been awarded the Purple Heart after an 81-year wait. The 99-year-old Army veteran received the honor at a ceremony in Louisville's Frazier History Museum, just months before his 100th birthday.
Fisher had been eagerly anticipating this moment and expressed his excitement about finally receiving the Purple Heart that he believed he had earned on the battlefield during World War II. The Purple Heart is a prestigious military award given to service members wounded or killed in action by the enemy.
After enlisting in the Army at the age of 16 in 1943, Fisher landed on Utah Beach in France and was wounded on March 25, 1945, while waiting to cross the Rhine River. Despite his injuries not being properly documented during the war, Fisher persisted in his efforts to have his wartime injuries recognized and receive the Purple Heart.
With the help of his friend Jeff Thoke, who conducted extensive research on Fisher's military service and compiled historical records, Fisher's long-awaited recognition finally came to fruition. Thoke praised Fisher as a patriotic and exemplary American who deserved the honor for his service during World War II.
Fisher served with the Army's 556th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Weapons Battalion and participated in significant battles such as the Battle of the Bulge before being wounded near the Rhine River towards the end of the war. Despite his injuries, Fisher returned to his unit, met Soviet forces at the Elbe River, and even served as part of the official escort for President Harry S. Truman during Truman's arrival in Antwerp, Belgium.
The ceremony at the Frazier History Museum marked the culmination of Fisher's decades-long quest for recognition. It was a momentous occasion for Fisher, who expressed his gratitude and disbelief that his dream of receiving the Purple Heart had finally come true.