The Lead Off
- A Greenwood man has received a Purple Heart awarded to his grandfather more than 100 years after the World War I veteran was wounded in combat.
- Private Sam Sabatino served in France in 1918 and suffered a serious arm injury while attempting to rescue another soldier.
- The medal was presented after his grandson worked with Congressman Jefferson Shreve’s office to secure the honor.
GREENWOOD, IND. (WOWO) A Greenwood man has received the Purple Heart earned by his grandfather during World War I more than a century ago after the soldier never received the military honor during his lifetime.
Mark Sabatino accepted the medal Tuesday on behalf of his grandfather, Private Sam Sabatino, during a ceremony at the White River Branch of the Johnson County Public Library.
WWI soldier wounded in combat
Private Sam Sabatino was born in Naples, Italy, in 1892 and moved to the United States in 1911. He joined the U.S. Army at age 25 and served with the 127th Infantry Regiment of the 32nd Infantry Division during World War I.
On Oct. 5, 1918, Sabatino was serving in France when he went beyond his trench lines to help rescue a fellow soldier. During the attempt, he was struck in his left arm by machine gun fire.
The injury left him with limited use of his arm and hand for the rest of his life according to WXIN..
“As a child growing up, I always wondered about this big crease in his arm, but nobody ever said anything…he virtually had no use of that hand or arm at all,” Mark Sabatino said. “I never really heard him ever complain about anything. He was just a hard worker.”
Family discovers medal was never awarded
Private Sabatino died in 1979. Years later, his grandson learned that he had never applied for or received the Purple Heart despite being wounded during combat.
Mark Sabatino said his grandfather likely would not have sought recognition for himself.
“He would have said, ‘Oh, there are a lot of people—there are people who died,’” Sabatino said. “He would have told you, ‘Give it to the people who didn’t come back.’”
Sabatino said his grandfather’s focus was on others rather than receiving recognition for his own service.
Congressman helps secure Purple Heart
After learning the medal had never been awarded, Mark Sabatino contacted the office of U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve.
Within several weeks, Shreve’s office helped secure the Purple Heart for Private Sabatino’s family.
Shreve presented the medal to Mark Sabatino during a ceremony at the Johnson County Public Library.
“Time does not erase honor,” Shreve said. “More than 100 years after Private Sam Sabatino was wounded while serving our country, I am honored to present his family, as represented by his grandson, with the Purple Heart that he earned.”
Family honors veteran’s legacy
After receiving the medal, Mark Sabatino said the recognition represented an opportunity to honor his grandfather’s example and values.
“This is one of the last things I can do for my grandfather, of course, other than in my own life to try to live up to his example of moral integrity, courage, love of God, family and country,” Sabatino said.
The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the U.S. military who are wounded or killed while serving in combat.
Next steps
The Purple Heart will now become part of the Sabatino family’s collection of military history and will serve as recognition of Private Sam Sabatino’s service more than 100 years after his battlefield injury.
The Takeaway
- Private Sam Sabatino served with the U.S. Army during World War I and was wounded in France in 1918 while attempting to rescue another soldier.
- His grandson, Mark Sabatino, worked with Rep. Jefferson Shreve’s office to obtain the Purple Heart that was never awarded during the veteran’s lifetime.
- The medal was presented during a Johnson County ceremony, formally recognizing Private Sabatino’s service and sacrifice more than a century after he was injured.
