Van of Valor

By Dr. Kevin Wallace
Van of Valor

HOPE, Ark. – Driving along the forested ridges and river valleys of northern Arkansas, a traveler will notice a recurring, solemn sign at county lines: a Purple Heart framed by the words “Purple Heart County.” 

This is no coincidence. 

The dense concentration of these designations along the Missouri border, from Benton County in the west to Clay County in the east, is the result of a deliberate, heartfelt mission by Veterans to create a permanent, visible tapestry of gratitude.

It began with a statewide goal. 

In 2016, the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) Department of Arkansas set an ambitious objective: to have all 75 Arkansas counties proclaim themselves Purple Heart Counties. 

Northern Arkansas led the charge. 

Marion County had already set the precedent in November 2015. 

Washington County was among the first, with County Judge Marilyn Edwards signing a proclamation in February 2016. 

Soon, a wave of proclamations followed in Benton, Boone, Baxter, Fulton, and beyond.

The designation is a symbolic act, but its meaning is concrete. It’s their county governments and communities saying, ‘We see your sacrifice, and we will not forget it.’” 

This recognition extends beyond lines on a map. 

It manifests in prominent signage at county entrances, serving as a silent, powerful reminder to all who pass through of the high price paid for freedom by local sons and daughters.

The effort gained powerful momentum through regional collaboration. 

In Northwest Arkansas, cities like Bentonville, Rogers, Fayetteville, and Springdale joined their counties in simultaneous adoptions, forging a unified “Purple Heart Community.” 

This movement strategically aligned with the National Purple Heart Trail system, transforming major arteries into corridors of honor. Interstate 49, shooting through Northwest Arkansas to Missouri, and Interstate 55 in the northeast, are both designated Purple Heart Highways, weaving the gratitude of countless communities into the very infrastructure of the state.

By December 2025, when the Van of Valor passed through Arkansas on its national mission, the MOPH’s visionary goal for Arkansas was nearly complete, with northern counties forming the steadfast backbone of this purple trail. 

But who, exactly, are the heroes these signs quietly salute?

The purple signs are for every combat-wounded veteran and every family who has received a folded flag. They honor thousands of unnamed local heroes. Yet, behind this collective tribute are individual stories of extraordinary courage from these hills and delta towns.

In Northwest Arkansas, the legacy is profound. Marine Cpl. John Pruitt of Fayetteville, a rare dual Medal of Honor recipient from World War I, was posthumously honored with the Purple Heart. 

Army Capt. Marcellus Holms Chiles of Eureka Springs also earned the Medal of Honor and Purple Heart for his valor in France. 

From Rogers and Fayetteville comes the modern story of Marine Cpl. Aaron Mankin, severely wounded by an IED in Iraq in 2005, who has become a powerful national advocate for wounded warriors.

Traveling into the Ozarks of North Central Arkansas, the signs honor heroes like Army Cpl. Charles Leon Gilliland of Yellville. At just 17, he gave his life holding a position alone in Korea, earning a posthumous Medal of Honor and Purple Heart. 

In the northeastern counties, the legacy continues. Army Pvt. Herman Davis of Manila (Mississippi County) stands as one of World War I’s most decorated enlisted soldiers, with an American Legion Post named in his honor. 

Despite initially being rejected for service because he stood just 5 feet 3 inches tall, Davis was drafted in 1918 and sent to the trenches of France. 

There, the man his captain called “the smallest but bravest” transformed into a legendary sniper and scout. In the war’s final months near Verdun, he repeatedly volunteered for lone, perilous missions — crawling within earshot of German positions to eliminate machine gun nests and enemy soldiers with stunning accuracy. 

His extraordinary courage earned him a spot on Gen. John J. Pershing’s list of the top 100 American heroes of the war and a chest full of decorations, including the U.S. Distinguished Service Cross and multiple French honors.

Yet, when Davis returned home to Mississippi County in 1919, he traded his rifle for a plow and his medals for a tackle box, storing his accolades out of sight. 

The soft-spoken farmer and hunting guide rarely spoke of his deeds, allowing his towering reputation to fade into the quiet fields of Arkansas. It was only after Pershing’s public recognition that his stunned community learned the full extent of the humble local hero living among them.

Army Staff Sgt. John Parette, wounded in Operation Enduring Freedom, was selected as Arkansas’s representative for the 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project.

These designations also solemnly honor Gold Star Families and Veterans like Albert M. Richardson of Jonesboro, who, after losing an arm in WWII, dedicated himself to building veterans’ monuments.

The Purple Heart Trail is more than a network of roads; it is a continuous, community-wide moment of silence and respect. 

As the signs remind each traveler on I-49 or I-55, the freedoms enjoyed on the open road were secured by the sacrifices of individuals from the very communities they are now passing through. 

In northern Arkansas, gratitude is not just felt; it is officially proclaimed, mile after mile, county after county.

To read more, visit www.HelpVoV.com