Dunedin Purple Heart Ceremony

Rob Bonnem, Flotilla 11-10, Dunedin, Commander

On August 7th, members of Flotilla 11-10, Dunedin, participated in the annual Purple Heart ceremony. This was the 10th consecutive year that the Dunedin fl otilla has attended. It is an honor to be asked by the city to participate. Members don their Tropical Blue uniforms and usually have front-row seats for the event. They always get a respectable turnout. Dunedin was designated as Florida’s fi rst Purple Heart City by the Military Order of the Purple Heart in 2006. The event is held at Purple Heart Park, which is located in downtown Dunedin. A monument sits in the center of the park in recognition of those who have earned the military tribute by their bravery and sacrifi ce. Other organizations that participated included the Pinellas County Sheriffs, who provided a helicopter fl yover to start the event. The sheriffs also send an honor guard to hold a 21-gun salute. Dunedin High School sends its Reserve Offi cer Training Corps (ROTC) to carry and present the colors of the branches of armed forces and the American fl ag. City, county, and state representatives speak and there is always a local Purple Heart recipient giving the keynote speech. Flotilla 11-10, Dunedin, always looks forward to August 7th. It is on their fl otilla calendar in pen. Ω

DUNEDIN, Fla.- Members of Flotilla 11-1, Dunedin’ attend an annual Purple Heart ceremony Aug. 7, at Purple Heart Park in downtown Dunedin. From left are Walter Murray, Allen Leimbach, Rob Bonnem, Jim Ryder, Buddy Casale, and Jon Nichols. Below left: The Purple Heart Monument in the center of the park in Dunedin. Below right: Pinellas County Sheriffs hold a 21-gun salute in honor of Purple Heart recipients. The Purple Heart is a military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving. United States Coast Guard Auxiliary photos by Chelsea Miller.