Purple Heart Commemoration Speech at Mount Vernon

From Medals to Memories: My reflection on the Purple Heart and sacrifice

By Major Nicholas Dockery August 5th, 2023

When I was sixteen, I read a poem written during WWI by Private Martin Treptow, a young barber from Cherokee, Iowa, who enlisted to fight with the famed Rainbow Division. Thousands of miles from home, on the eastern flank of France, he died while attempting to deliver a message to another battalion, leaving behind his journal and this heartfelt pledge.

On the flyleaf, he wrote, “My Pledge”:

“America must win this war. Therefore, I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully, and do my utmost, as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone.”

The same year I read that poem, I watched the towers fall. The sight of desperate Americans jumping from buildings to escape the flames is etched in our collective memory. But it was only after witnessing the beginning and the end of the war that followed that I truly appreciated what Private Treptow wrote…what is at stake when America to goes to war and why America must win.

Today, when I think about Private Treptow’s poem, I am reminded of how I learned the story of a young Army Specialist and his purple heart.

During my senior year at West Point, I had the humbling opportunity to visit Ward 57 at Walter Reed Medical Center. It was the most solemn place I had ever been to. There, I witnessed firsthand the men and women adapting to their life-altering injuries inflicted by war.

I met a young Army Specialist, barely 20 years old, who had lost both legs and was learning to walk on new prosthetics. Uncomfortably, I asked him about his experience. He confessed to feeling that he was initially angry not to complete his deployment, angry not to stand, angry not to walk outside to smoke a cigarette, or unable to perform basic tasks like relieving himself properly and cleaning himself (although he said that last part differently).

He shared that he yelled at the nurses, doctors, family, or anyone else who entered his room for the first few months. He said, “I just thought that once they left me alone, I would find a way to end it all.”

Then, one day, they brought in another soldier who had lost both legs above the knee, an arm, an eye, and most of the fingers on his other hand. When the more severely wounded veteran overheard him yelling, he asked why he was so mad. After listening to his frustrations, the other veteran asked him how he planned to put that anger to work today. The Specialist didn't answer, and the veteran said, “Today, I am going to try and hold a spoon. What about you?

The Specialist further confided in me. He said, “I’ve cried a lot here. Not proud of that, but I was so mad that I could only think about what I lost and not what I still had.” “And for the first time,” he told me, “I looked down at my legs and admitted to myself, ‘Thank God they saved my legs below my knees. I will walk again’”

He remarked, “It’s funny, you know. I don’t remember learning to walk for the first time. Not sure that anyone does. I guess I just took it for granted. But I’ll never forget what it's like learning to walk again. It makes me appreciate it a lot more. I still get those toxic thoughts, but now I do something about it. I put on my new legs, and when I see a guy or girl like me, I try and save them from themselves.”

I left Walter Reed wondering why a person so young …with so little, would risk so much for people he would never know.

I’ve never shared this, as I felt it wasn’t my story to tell. At the time, it was heart-wrenching, and it still is, but it seems fitting to share a story of sacrifice here at Mount Vernon, recognizing the Purple Heart, with people who are connected by the sacrifices they, too, have laid down to defend the ideals of democracy and freedom.

As President Regan stated, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” In other words, as I’ve come to see it, every generation must sacrifice and learn to walk again to appreciate what the cost of freedom is.

When I think about the young man at Walter Reed and all he was willing to give…I am reminded of a young Afghan named Zabiullah Ibrahimkhil and his sacrifice for America.

Zabiullah, or Zabi, was eleven when he saw the first American Soldier in his country. He knew nothing of America the Nation, had never heard of the World Trade Center, and grew up in an area resistant to the Taliban. He was confused about why he was seeing Americans attack his province. He asked his dad what: Afghanistan did to America? So, his dad told him what little he knew about the attacks, the high jacking, and the members of Al-Qaeda who did it. When he finished, Zabi asked, “But what did Afghanistan do? None of them were Afghans.”

Over the next few years, he learned everything he could about America and came to understand better why the Americans were fighting the Taliban and Al Qaeda. He, too, wanted the Taliban gone, but his family didn’t want him to join the Afghan army.

He learned that as a translator, he could both help fight and earn a chance to go to America. Although he spoke no English, he knew that if he could learn Pashto, Dari, and Uzbek, he could learn English. He spent five years teaching himself English to become a linguist. For the next six years, he was embedded on the front lines of some of the heaviest fighting in the war and earned a Special Immigration Visa.

He moved to California, became a truck driver, and saved enough money to marry his wife and bring her to the States. However, he learned that he had to return to Afghanistan since he was not married to her when he was granted a visa. If he worked for another four years as an interpreter, she would be given a Visa. So, he returned to again work on the front lines, and that is where I met Zabi.

I learned Zabi’s story during the many nights we spent sleeping in the cold Afghan desert during week-long clearing operations. He would tell me about what America meant to him, what he loved about it, and what he was willing to do for his family to have a chance to enjoy it too. Once he got notice that his wife's visa would be processed within months, he returned to the States to prepare for her and his now-infant daughter's arrival.

Then his country collapsed. The Taliban came to his home and threatened his brother and father, telling them that Zabi would be killed if they found him for assisting the American cause. His wife and daughter went into hiding. Zabi eventually flew to Pakistan, paid a lumber trader to smuggle him into Afghanistan, rescued his wife, and fled back to Pakistan, where he waited another year for his wife and daughter's visas to be approved.

Zabi called me when he returned to the States, saying, “I thank God that even though my country collapsed, at least I had somewhere to escape to.”

The lives and freedoms of people like Zabi and his family are what is at stake when America goes to war. As President Reagan stated, this is, “ [is] the last best hope of man on Earth.”

As Zabi was hard at work in Afghanistan, becoming a linguist to fight for a country he had never been to, a young Army Sergeant named Doug Becker arrived to fight in Iraq. One day, while Doug was eating lunch, a suicide bomber exploded a vest packed with explosives outside the mess hall. Little balls of metal flew in every direction, killing and wounding dozens. One ball-bearing lodged itself in the back of Doug’s skull. Concussed, wounded, and bleeding, Doug carried badly injured comrades to safety, denied care for himself, and ensured those needing medical care were treated first. Unlike most people who lived through an event as terrifying as that, Doug vowed to make a recovery and return to the front lines.

Six years later, Doug became a Platoon Sergeant. History repeated as he led his Soldiers on patrol in the Pech River Valley, Afghanistan. While assisting engineers in building an irrigation system, a suicide bomber targeted his unit. He readied his Soldiers in training in preparation long before their boots hit the ground in Combat. Doug, better than anyone, knew the consequences of getting it wrong. To the credit of Doug and his Soldiers, no one died that day.

Weeks later, Doug stepped on an IED. Miraculously he survived and again recovered.

Doug’s service and sacrifice exemplify the words Martin wrote while in the trenches of France. When I think of what the Purple Heart is meant to represent, I think of Sergeant Doug Becker. I think of how fortunate I was to have had an NCO show me what it’s like to have the fortitude to fight with all your veracity, courage, and valor, knowing it is for the benefit of others.

Staff Sergeant Bill Nabinger, who volunteered to clear a courtyard for his squad to take cover inside during an ambush, also embodies this ethic. An enemy machine gunner shot Bill. The bullet entered his wrist and exited his elbow. Bill switched hands and provided covering fire for his platoon mates so they could move out of harm's way.

Bill would later undergo eleven surgeries on his arm. Rather than medically retire, Bill, like Doug, returned to the front lines. To the same platoon…once again deployed.

I think of Sergeant Jack Hansbro, who braved bouts of machine gun fire to recover Bill and apply the tourniquet that saved his life. I think of Sergeant Eric Mitchell and Specialist Roshan Baum, who joined Jack in following the over-zealous wet-behind-the-ears Second Lieutenant who is privileged to stand before you today and share their story.

Together, they fought through machine gun nests, trading hand grenades at close range, despite being outnumbered two to one. They fought with every ounce of courage and bravery to keep one another alive until a Rocket Propelled Grenade destroyed their remaining cover position…and critically wounded them.

When I see the Purple Heart, it is the faces of Jack, Bill, Eric, and Roshan that I see. I am reminded of all these men endured for one another.

But not all stories end this way. Too many end in the ultimate sacrifice. Yet, their mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses, friends, and fellow warriors must find a way to move on, honoring what they sacrificed.

Warriors like 1LT Dimitri Del Castillo, a company-mate and friend from West Point. Del was beloved by all who met him. He took his last breath while leading his platoon on 25 August 2011 in Kunar Province.

Honorable men like, 2LT David Rylander, my classmate from West Point. David was a man who was absolutely incapable of wronging another person and wholeheartedly embraced the honor code in all aspects of his life. He paid the ultimate sacrifice on 12 May 2012 in Logar Province.

My time at West Point shaped a lot of who I am today. So as hard as it was to deal with the guilt of seeing your Soldiers wounded and wishing you could have done more, it was equally hard to see your friends and mentors pass, knowing there was nothing you could do.

When I returned from that trip to Walter Reed, I confided in my Company Tactical Officer, Major Tom “TK” Kennedy, asking him what to do if that Specialist had been my soldier. He shared some gut-wrenching stories on how to prepare and lead through moments of losing Soldiers and friends. I am thankful he did.

MAJ Tom “TK” Kennedy. Killed in Action…8 August 2012, Kunar Province, Afghanistan.

When I was wounded a second time in late October 2018, my friend Colonel (retired) Steve Isenhour (here today) was also deployed. He visited me, providing support during some of my most challenging leadership situations. Steve, I can’t tell you how important that time together was for me.

After Steve left, I had a phone call with my good friend Drew Ross, a fellow Green Beret and classmate who was also deployed, unable to travel to see me. When he realized it was my second time being wounded, he said, “Damn, maybe you should be faster next time.” I burst into laughter, appreciating the dark humor. I realized I hadn't laughed like that in some time.

Captain Drew Ross gave his life in honor of his country on 27 November 2018 in Ghazni Province.

I can’t tell every story, although I wish I could. The best I can do is tell you those I think of daily. Those who fought cheerfully, like Private Martin Treptow, and paid the ultimate sacrifice. The badly wounded specialist pulling himself out of the depths of darkness to help others. The young Afghan boy’s journey to America. The NCOs like Doug and Bill, who, despite the pain of shrapnel, ball bearings, and bullets –always returned to the battlefield.

The weight of their stories pressed heavily upon my mind… heart… and shoulders. In every humbling moment leading America's finest warriors, I've perpetually felt the challenge of living up to the standards they so rightfully deserve. Honoring their trust, recognizing their sacrifices, and matching the courage of those beside me demanded a deeper and more profound commitment than I ever envisioned. To sacrifice, confront adversities with unyielding determination, and deeply understand the ripple effect of our decisions are the burdens carried by our nation's sons and daughters. Yet, it is the very cost we shoulder to defend and celebrate American values. I share Treptow’s poem with you on Purple Heart Day here at Mount Vernon because I firmly believe it defines the unwavering spirit our nation's warriors must possess. This expectation of commitment and sacrifice echoes through history, from General Washington's soldiers in the Continental Army, to what is expected of our uniformed forces today.

The spirit encapsulated in Martin's poem transcends generations, uniting those who answer the call to serve. It is the indomitable force that fuels our brave warriors. It drives them to uphold the highest ideals and inspires us to defend this nation with unwavering devotion. This Purple Heart Day, we honor those who have exemplified this creed, displaying valor and sacrifice in the face of adversity. They are the living embodiment of Treptow’s pledge, and their unforgettable stories stand as a testament to the enduring spirit of our heroic men and women in uniform.

Thank you for allowing me to share. God bless America.

This speech was written and delivered by Major Nicholas Dockery, US Army, for the Purple Heart Day celebration at Mount Vernon on the 5th of August, 2023. Major Dockery is an Active-Duty Special Forces Officer, a United States Military Academy alumnus, and a General Wayne Downing Scholar. He serves as a Research Fellow with the Modern Warfare Institute and a moderator with the Irregular Warfare Initiative. For his combat performance, Major Dockery received two Silver Star medals and two Purple Heart Medals. Among his honors are the West Point Association of Graduates Alexander R. Nininger Award for Valor at Arms; the US Army General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award for exemplary leadership in Special Operations; the honor of being named the ‘2022 Soldier of the Year by the Military Times Foundation; and the Military Outstanding Volunteer medal for his volunteer with underprivileged youth. MAJ Dockery holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs