Howard County is officially a Purple Heart County, one of 82 across Missouri to hold the designation.

A dedication was held in the Howard County courthouse on Tuesday, November 15. Fayette resident and Marine Corps veteran A. George Befort, III, who received two Purple Hearts fighting in Vietnam, spearheaded the effort, which received unanimous support from the Howard County Commission. A sign declaring Howard as a Purple Heart County will be displayed on the east side of the courthouse lawn near the bandstand.

Befort said it is his hope that all 114 counties in Missouri will become Purple Heart Counties. He previously led the effort for Fayette to become a Purple Heart City.

On hand for the dedication were Mr. Befort, members of the White-Bell Post of the American Legion, county commissioners Jerimiah Johnmeyer, Mat Freese, and Jeff Stockhorst, and state representatives Chuck Bayse (R-Rocheport) and Tim Taylor (R-Boonville).

Rep. Taylor said he would help push the effort to convince the remaining 32 Missouri counties to adopt the status.

The Purple Heart is given to military service members who are wounded or killed while fighting in the nation’s wars. Purple Heart cities and counties carry the designation in an effort to honor those sacrifices.