Memorial Box Monday: The Purple Heart

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

I am very grateful to live in a country where my freedoms are protected but I have often heard it said that freedom isn't free, it costs some men and women everything. I am very proud that my grandfather, Jack L. Epperson Sr. fought in WWII. He received the Purple Heart. 

I want to tell the story of how he received his Purple Heart for my Memorial Box Monday this week. During a battle my grandfather, Papaw Jack as we called him, was shot in the leg. He in turn shot the German soldier who shot him, killing him, the German soldier fell on top of him. Later the Germans were walking around stabbing any injured American soldiers with their bayonets when they came to my grandfather they saw the blood from the German soldier and the German soldier on top of  him and they thought he was dead so they did not stab him. When the German soldiers had passed he was able to push the dead soldier off of him and crawl until he found two twin Medics. The twins were not tall enough to enlist as soldiers so they joined the forces as medics. The medics took turns dragging my grandfather through the snow until they got him back to another group of American soldiers. They got him to a medical unit and eventually back home to marry my grandmother who he had met while working for her fathers saw mill. I can't help but see the hand of God all over this situation. God protected him and kept him safe and brought him back to be the Patriarch of our family. Papaw Jack was a wonderful man who spent his retired days when I came along taking me to eat Apple Pie's and planting potatoes in the garden. I don't believe I would be the woman I am today without his love poured all over my childhood. I am very thankful that God spared his life and I am thankful for those two twin medics who weren't "tall enough for the team". I believe that my aunt has my Papaw Jack's purple heart but I know it will eventually be passed to me and when it is I will add it to my Memorial Box to remind us that God will protect in every situation and that even when men say you aren't enough God can make you be exactly what a wounded warrior needs. I included a few pictures from the Memorial Day event we attended this morning, and also one of my beloved Papaw Jack from his days in WWII. Happy Memorial Day everyone!