Below is the article published on Tampa Bay News 10 website about Our Precious Gift.

A website aimed at the Purple Heart

By: Kathryn Bursch

Brandon, Florida – From the battle fields of World War II, to the jungles of Vietnam, to the deserts of Iraq, over the years American servicemen and women have made untold sacrifices. But now a local woman is working to have some of those sacrifices told.

Melissa Campos has created a website called Our Precious Gift to register the names of Purple Heart recipients and to tell their stories. “These stories are out there and if we don’t get them out there, we lose them. And it’s sad our children are growing up not knowing the sacrifices these men and women made,” said Campos.

At VFW Post 8108 in Riverview, it’s fish-fry night. And no doubt the walls here have heard plenty of war stories. But veterans here also think it’s important for some of the stories to make it outside the walls and onto the web.

“This country was built on the backs of the past wars,” said Leonard Paskoski, an army veteran. “Most kids are in the now generation and they don’t really know what happened to get them there.”

Campos just started her website in early January and already has over 200 people registered. One name, one story at a time; she’s trying to save history and honor those who made it. “Years from now our children and grandchildren will have a place to go and remember what these people gave to us.”

For more information on the Purple Heart website, click on the following link: http://www.ourpreciousgift.com/

Kathryn Bursch, Tampa Bay’s 10 News

Good Evening,

I just saw the news with your report included for remembering our hero’s. My father did three tours in Vietnam and received 3 purple hearts the only thing is he would never talk about it, and we lost him in 2003 with no so called “war stories”. I know he was in the service for over 30 years, Army, Paratrooper, we lived in Korea for two years, we lived at MacDill AFB, he retired as a Ltc. and worked at CentCom, but he wasn’t even allowed to talk to us of his job there. If you could give me some more insight…….I am currently working on a Survivor Benefit for widows with husbands that were lets say contaminated by Agent Orange, seeing my mother is one of them. It is so hard working around all of the government’s secrets and all that we do not know. My father gave his life for this country and I am happy to see someone like yourself supporting/ honoring their fight(s) and lives. I would like to add my father to the register but I want to have the most accurate information for you.

If you have any information about Ltc Henry Jeffrey please contact me and I will put you in touch with his daughter.

3 Purple Hearts

My Name is Pamella R Herrman Kelley, my Dad was Private First Class Ryanold J Herrman, 26th Infantry Division, killed in action on November 20, 1944 during the advance near Nebing, France. He is buried in the United States Military Cemetery, Limey, France. My Dad was to report to duty on December 1, 1943 and I was born on November 28, 1943 the night of his party before reporting. He got to see me when I was born and came home on leave when I was 5 months old before going over seas. That is the last time he saw me. I only know my Dad from pictures and memories of him told to me by my Mother. Since my Mother did not bring him home to be buried, there is nothing here in the U.S. to remember him by, except his picture in uniform, with patches from his uniform and his purple heart which I framed and hung  in my home. I would like his name, rank and date of death to be posted for the future generations to view in memory of his service to his country. Thank you.

I am so very excited.  I woke up this morning with two new people registered on the site and 3 emails with information to be add.  I liked the story last night and I think Tampa Bay 10 did a wonderful job with the story.  I was just very excited that they were even interested in putting it out there for us.  I will start adding the information as it comes in, just keep coming back to see what is new.  As you can see the list are getting very long for one page.  I am going to split it in half on two separate pages to hopefully make it a little easier to scroll through.

Please continue to visit and send information.  It is through all of you that this site is possible and I will never forget that.

I am continuing to add names to the site, we are up to over 200 now.  Today is the news interview so wish me luck and hope they don’t make me look too stupid.  I am excited to get the word out about the site so hopefully you will see more names come up shortly.  I have also added a couple of pictures of Dad on the “Why the list” page, so take a look at those.

I don’t know if anyone noticed but most of the data from my Vietnam list disappeared.  I had a heart attack and there was nothing I could do to get it back.  Even my husband and computer wizard tried his magic and was not able to help me.  I just wanted to cry.  I was able to put most of it back because I had a copy of the chart from a couple of weeks ago but that meant re-keying everything all over again.  Well that is complete but as you can see some of the info is still missing.  All of the research gone.  Oh well, I guess that was my test for the week.

A grandson has begun to post the letters he found at his parents while cleaning out their home.  They range from the every day life of cramped quarters, no hot water, to the daily grind of war.  Letters from 90 years ago are now making people feel like they are there hoping Harry will survive.  The special thing about this site is that he started posting the letters 90 years to the day they were written and he posts the letters on the day they were written so sometimes you get a letter two days in a row and sometimes, like now, you do not hear from him for a while.  The last letter was dated December 30, 1917 and every one is waiting to see if another letter is posted……is Harry alright?

I don’t know if you have noticed or not but when I add a soldiers name to site I am linking it to a news story or personal website so you can read their account of their story.  This serves two purposes.  The first is to share with everyone their story of battle and the second is to show verification that they are indeed a Purple Heart recipient.  I have been reading stories on line about people who “pretend” to be recipients of this medal and it just pisses me off.  Bad people never cease to amaze me.   

I hope you find the information contained on this site informative and reliable.  If you see something that is not right please let me know and I will do my best to verify it or take it off.  Please continue to send me your information, for it is because of you that this site exists.

Unfortunately the list are continuing to grow.  I know with every name I put on this site that is another family that has been forever changed.  Thank you our men and women in the United States Military.

As you can see I have added a few more names to the site.  Mr. Johnson emailed me to say that he passed on the site to about 100 Blackhorse soldiers, I am very excited about that.  I hope you notice I have updated the charts and hopefully they are a little easier to read.  Let me know what you think about the new charts, and if there is anything you want me to change just make a suggestion.