Purple Heart Day Statement from OG Founder Bill Love

Today OG Racing celebrates Purple Heart Day with a special note from our founder Bill Love.

Purple Heart Day is a commemorative occasion where we thank military members honored with the Purple Heart Medal. Instituted by General George Washington in 1782, the Purple Heart Medal is the oldest active military decoration. Remarkably, its significance was overlooked until 1932, when General Douglas MacArthur rekindled interest in it. On February 22, 1932, the Military Purple Heart award was officially reinstated, recognizing its establishment by George Washington in 1782. Subsequently, in 1942, the medal underwent further modifications, becoming an exclusive recognition for those wounded or killed in combat and since then, there have been additional modifications to who may receive it. 

 

It’s the one medal that no one wants to get. I know that I didn’t want to get one. But I did. It was a long time ago, March 5^th, 1969. All the records say March 6^th, 1969, because after getting shot, it took 24hrs before they could medivac us out. It was a hill that we were trying to take that would later be called LZ Brace during Operation Wayne Grey. I was a member of B Co 3/8^th 4^th ID. A lot of Purple Hearts were awarded for that operation. Some were for wounds that would take days to heal, some took months, and some never did heal. Myself, I spent the next year+ at the old Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC. I and about 3500 others were at Walter Reed at any time during the year I was there. In addition to Walter Reed, there were many other hospitals around the country taking care of the wounded.

 

Would I want to have had anything different happen? No. Don’t get me wrong, getting shot is not how I wanted my year in Viet Nam to be. But if I hadn’t been shot, I wouldn’t be writing this, and I don’t think there would even be an OG Racing. I wouldn’t have had all the fun I’ve had for the last 33 years helping track people, and racers choose the right gear to make them safer when they’re on track. I wouldn’t have had fun on the track, owned the cars I’ve had, or met some wonderful friends. So, I guess I owe all those good things to the medal "that nobody wants." The Purple Heart.

- Bill Love

B Co. 3/8^th  4^th ID

11B Infantry grunt Viet Nam 1968-1969

 

 

 

 

 

We were deeply moved by the outpouring of customer responses following the publication of OG Racing owner Bill Love's poignant account of receiving the Purple Heart. This heartfelt narrative resonated with many, and we are honored to share their responses here. Moreover, we are incredibly touched by Mr. Love's dedication in personally responding to each and every one of them.

 

 

I also rec'd a Purple Heart for getting shot during Operation Dewey Canyon. Our M60 gunner and A Gunner both got hit, I ran over from my position, pulled both of them out of further harms way, grabbed Ricks M60 and started pounding away and hopefully hitting some of the bad guys and then I got hit in the right shoulder and as I crawled back, still with the gun, I got hit twice more in the legs. I was medevac'd after a couple of hours and that ended my war for me. 

Welcome Home, Bill

Ed Lutz 

1st BN, 9th Marines

 

 

I know this is customer info email, but just want to tell Mr. Love "Welcome Home."

My dad was in the 127th MP battalion in Quin Yon. He passed away 5 years ago  today from complications resulting from agent orange exposure during his year in Viet Nam. He was the drummer in a rock and roll band called The Electrical Banana. 

 

- Joanne (Ioli) Dunn

 

 

 

I was born in 1970 so I do have recollections of the way vets were treated when I was a kid. My Dad was in the Navy and I met some of the guys that went to Vietnam.  

Best email I have ever received from a company. Genuine. Concise. Heartfelt. Nice work. 

 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

 - Chris Hughes

 

 

Mr. Love,

Thank you for your service, and thank you for OG racing and the great service on my purchases.

Recently bought a race suit which I had to have an opening put into it for my chillout hoses I will be using.  Your staff was kind enough to recommend to me a lady in Concord North Carolina to do the work, unfortunately she is no longer doing this work and she recommended me to call Thermal Control. Definitely do not think that I got the customer service from them that I get from your company or the first lady would have given, but bottom line they did the work and I got my suit back.

 - Russ

 

 

  

Bill Love is a legend. A generation of us owe him a lot. He was my second-ever instructor, at Mid Ohio, in my then brand new RS America, in 1993. Went on to track and race in many series for years. Still get to the track occasionally in my '23 GT3. Tell him "thanks" from an old student.

- Bill Haney

 

 

Happy Purple Heart Day!! Thank you for your service. You deserve a month not a day.

 - Mojo

 

 

Thank you for your service and your great outlook on life.  Helping others is a great way to heal. You leave a great legacy. Sorry that others were not so lucky.

 - Wendy Page-Echols

 

 

 

Dear Sir, Excellent article and opportunity to learn the history of OG Racing. It was my first place to buy safety equipment for kart racing.

From Monte Maíz, Córdoba, Argentina, a hug!

- Ariel Anya

 

 

Thank You for your service Sir, and Welcome Home! 

 -Dave Pierce

 

 

Thanks for posting this . . . from a Purple Heart combat Hospital Corpsman with the USMC infantry I 3/4 in RVN 1966-67 DMZ area

 -Roy Turner

 

 

Thanks Bill. That’s a nice story, you wrote it well. Thanks for your service. 

 -Karen Homles

 

 

Thank you for your service sir. Freedom is never free, it bears a heavy toll from multitudes of heros..

 - Ken Shearen

 

 

Awesome story, Bill. 

Thanks for your service during a time when soldiers were not thanked (sadly, much like police officers these days).

 (My Dad was a WWII vet.)

- Jon Kern

 

 

Thank you for sharing! Beautiful moving story 

- Mhyar 

 

 

Thank you for your service!

 - Julie T