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HYDE-SMITH PRESENTS PURPLE HEART MEDAL TO PURVIS NATIVE
Retired Army Maj. Victor F. Hogan Awarded Medal for Injuries Received in Iraq in 2006
PHOTO: Senator Hyde-Smith with Purple Heart Recipient Victor Hogan and his mother Phyllis Hogan.
(Army National Guard Photos by Spec. Amber Milsap)
CAMP SHELBY, Miss. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) on Wednesday praised the strength, resilience, and tenacity of retired Army Maj. Victor F. Hogan as she presented him with the Purple Heart medal for wounds he sustained in 2006 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Hogan, a Purvis native, asked Hyde-Smith to present him with the medal, which was delivered during a ceremony hosted by the Mississippi National Guard at the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center Armed Forces Museum.
“This hallowed award represents a recognition of Major Hogan’s valor and bravery in combat in Iraq—and a testament to all of us and to future generations of Americans of his commitment to defend our country and his willingness to uphold that commitment, even at the risk of his own life,” Hyde-Smith said.
“I regret that the process of getting this award was long and difficult, but I also see that this effort can stand as an example of the same strength, resilience, and tenacity Victor Hogan brought to his service in the Army,”the Senator added. “It is a privilege and an honor to stand here today to express my deepest gratitude. May this presentation inspire us to continue supporting those who risk everything for the preservation of liberty.”
Hogan, who was deployed to Mosul, Iraq, in 2005, suffered fragment wounds and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) on Sept. 11, 2006, when an improvised explosive device struck the Stryker vehicle in which he was riding. A captain at the time, Hogan continued his active duty career which included two subsequent tours of duty in Kuwait. He was honorably released from active duty in 2013 and transferred into the U.S. Army Reserves where was promoted to the rank of major. He was medically separated from the Reserves in 2018.
The Purple Heart, created by General George Washington in 1782 as the Badge of Military Merit, is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces who has been wounded, killed, or has died after being wounded. However, it wasn’t until 2011 that the Department of Defense authorized the Purple Heart award for TBIs incurred during combat operations.
Due to a missed deadline, Hogan and his family undertook a years-long campaign to receive a Purple Heart medal for his TBI. The Purple Heart is among other awards and citations earned by Hogan during his military career.
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