The Purple Heart goes back to George Washington, who created the Badge of Military Merit on August 7, 1782. National Purple Heart Day is observed on the same day. Next Tuesday's document would let Mayor Johnson proclaim Muskegon a Purple Heart Community and mark August 7 as Purple Heart Day.

While the documents in the agenda packet name no Purple Heart recipients, Muskegon does have them. Joseph Beyrle was born here on August 25, 1923, jumped with the 101st Airborne on D-Day, and is the only known American to have fought in combat for both the U.S. Army and the Soviet Army in World War II.

Beyrle biographies say he earned the Purple Heart five times.

Francis Scott, 26, of Muskegon, went down with the Coast Guard cutter Tampa when a German submarine sank it off Wales in 1918. All hands were lost. His family accepted his medal years later at a ceremony during the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival.

USCGC Tampa • photo: Naval History and Heritage Command

The document in the agenda packet is labeled a resolution, and city staff asks the commission to approve it. But the sentence that matters says, "I, Kenneth D. Johnson, Mayor of the City of Muskegon, do hereby proclaim." The only signature line is his and since this resolution orders no use of public property, like a flag display or some other city action, it does not require a vote.

To understand City of Muskegon rules, policies, and procedures better, compare this resolution to the Disability Pride resolution from June 23. That one said the City Commission honors July as Disability Pride Month by putting a display in the City Hall lobby and flying the Disability Pride flag. A display and a flag are uses of city property and cannot be ordered by the mayor alone. This is why you might see discussion and voting for some resolutions, but not others.

A commission resolution is executed by a motion, a support, and a vote, and the clerk records who voted. A proclamation is executed by the mayor's signature and the seal. Staff has asked for a vote on the Purple Heart resolution anyway, likely so commissioners may choose to honor these soldiers as a collective body.

October 13 City Commission Meeting Agenda Packet