SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois is honoring those who were wounded in combat with a monument in Springfield.
The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency says it has dedicated a monument at the Springfield cemetery where Abraham Lincoln is buried to Purple Heart medal recipients.
Agency director Heidi Brown-McCreery says the agency hopes the memorial at Oak Ridge Cemetery that was opened Sunday will serve as reminder of the "tremendous sacrifices made by military personnel in all conflicts."
The Purple Heart is the nation's oldest military award. It traces its roots back to medals authorized by General George Washington in 1782 and has been awarded to nearly two million people since World War I.
The monument joins state-operated monuments honoring men and women who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
