WWII vet gets his Purple Heart

Leaning on his cane, Art Isaac stood at attention and threw a crisp salute as the Mountain Home AFB honor guard presented the flags to open last Thursday's ceremonies in which Isaac would receive a Purple Heart 62 years overdue.

At 85, his hands tremble a little, but his eyes still have the bright twinkle of the 22-year-old aircraft engineer who was forced to bail out his B-17 in July 1944 over enemy occupied Italy. Isaac was injured in the bail out and spent the next year in a German POW camp.

He always thought he'd earned a Purple Heart. Sixty-two years later, the Department of Defense, finally agreed.

With nearly 200 people on hand at the American Legion Hall Thursday, including Congressman Mike Simpson and 366th Wing Commander Col. Tony Rock, Isaac got his medal.

"I never thought in my wildest dreams this would ever happen," said Isaac, in brief remarks after Congressman Mike Simpson had formally pinned the nation's oldest military decoration on his chest, as he wife, Pauline, looked on. "I want you to know how much I appreciate you folks coming, and how happy I am."

The ceremonies opened with Art's daughter, city councilwoman Alain Isaac, offering a brief history of what it took to get her father his medal. "If it hadn't been for old war stories," she explained, Stephanie and Dave Berg wouldn't have realized that Art's story not only would make a great book (it's available at the museum in Mountain Home), but that he also deserved a Purple Heart. Working with the base and Marcia Bain of Congressman Simpson's office, it took months to get the paperwork together and approved, but this June Isaac was notified by the Department of the Army that he was eligible for the honor. At the time he earned the medal, the Air Force as a part of the U.S. Army, and not a separate service as it is today.

She thanked all those who worked to get the medal approved. "Now, 62 years, six weeks and two days later, Art is getting his Purple Heart."

A friend of the family, City Council President Mark Russell, formally read the citation to TSgt. Arthur B. Isaac, 301st Bomb Group... for wounds received as a result of hostile actions."

Congressman Simpson said he was pleased to see the large turnout at Thursday's ceremonies. "Only in a place like Mountain Home do you recognize the value of this award."

Simpsons said he was surprised at how many medals earned were not awarded during WWII, and the vets who earned them are only now receiving the recognition they deserve because of the efforts of their children and grandchildren.

And, he praised the efforts of the people like the Bergs and museum's historical society to preserve the memories of that time.

"We need to write down the memories, the sacrifices, of what has been called the Greatest Generation," he said. "Millions left their jobs to do their duty... and came home to build the greatest nation in history."

Col. Rock, representing the base, said it was "truely an honor for a Gunfighter to be here with you" recalling what was was truely a global war against oppression.

"When you jumped out," he told Isaac, the 366th Wing was there in Europe fighting alongside him, flying P-47s, "so we were with you in that fight, and we are proud to be with you today."

Among the many dignitaries who were on hand for the ceremonies were Mayor Joe B. McNeal, Councilman Tom Rist, county commissioners Connie Cruser and Mary Egusquiza, representatives from the veteran's administration and VA home in Boise, and Michael Grigsby, Region III Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

The Purple Heart was first created by Gen. George Washington during the Revolutionary War, to provide "a badge of distinction." Only three were handed out during the war, and its award ceased. The medal was revived in 1932, and bears Washington's likeness upon it. Today, 1.6 million Americans have been awarded the medal.