ICYMI: Hinson Honors Vietnam Veteran with Purple Heart
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) presented Vietnam veteran Specialist Lewis Robinson with the Purple Heart he earned for wounds sustained while serving in Vietnam more than five decades ago. After Robinson's request to correct his military record was denied in 2012, Hinson's office worked alongside him for more than a year to help secure reconsideration of his case. In 2025, the Army approved the request, corrected his military record, and authorized the award.
During the ceremony, Hinson reflected on Robinson's service and our responsibility to ensure America's veterans receive the care, benefits, and recognition they have earned.
— Remarks as Delivered —
"Specialist Robinson answered the call in 1969, serving in the United States Army during one of the most difficult periods in our country's history. Like so many veterans, he did his duty without asking for recognition. He served because he felt it was the right thing to do. As Americans, we enjoy freedoms that so many around the world can only dream of.
"Those freedoms were secured by brave men and women who answered the call to serve, often at tremendous personal sacrifice. In March of 1971, while serving with the 14th Engineer Battalion during operations in Vietnam, his battalion came under enemy attack. Rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire struck the convoy, and Specialist Robinson was wounded from the shrapnel. For his courageous service, the wounds he sustained, and being in the direct line of fire, he earned the Purple Heart medal. Unfortunately, that recognition did not come when it should have. No veteran should have to spend years pushing to receive a medal they earned in combat.
"After Specialist Robinson's request to correct his military record was denied, he never gave up. Working alongside our office, and after years of waiting, the Army corrected his record and approved the award he had earned all those years ago. While we cannot give back the years that passed, we can make sure history is set right. We have a responsibility to keep our promises to the men and women who served. That means making sure veterans receive the care, benefits, and recognition they've earned promptly — not years later.
"Specialist Robinson, thank you for your courage under fire, your sacrifice, and your unwavering service to our nation. We are grateful to your wife, Barbara, and to your family and friends who have stood beside you through this journey."
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