Robert James, of Gillette, will be awarded the Purple Heart at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Khe Sanh West Park in Saratoga. Robert is the son of Jesse James, of Encampment.
“It’s dad’s doing,” Robert said. “He pushed me to make sure I got it.”
Robert was injured when an IED (improvised explosive device) blew up his convoy in 2007. Robert was driving the lead gun truck in a convoy security. “Where I went,(the convoy) went,” Robert said, “Whether they liked it or not.”
Robert said he doesn’t like to talk about the incident. He chose to have the ceremony done in the Platte Valley because of his dad. “I want him to see it presented,” Robert said. Jesse said 37 service members were injured in that explosion.
Robert served active duty in the Navy from 1988 to 1996 and was an operations specialist. He was honorably discharged and then enlisted in the reserves in 2002. In 2005, Robert joined the National Guard and was deployed to Iraq in June of 2006 and Robert came home in October of 2007. Robert got out of the National Guard in 2008.
It took several years for the Purple Heart to be approved, Robert said, but he is not complaining. He said he knew of one recipient for whom it took 53 years to be awarded the Purple Heart. Jesse is a Vietnam War vet and a member of American Legion Post 54 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6125.
The American Legion is hosting the Purple Heart award ceremony and Sen. Mike Enzi will be presenting the award.
Deb Clark, American Legion’s Adjutant, said that she has also received calls from Sen. John Barrasso’s office about attending the ceremony. The public is invited to attend the ceremony.
Reader Comments(0)