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Sept. 11, 2008, marked the seventh year since our country was ruthlessly attacked by cowardly terrorists. On this comfortably warm late summer evening at the Puyallup Fair 12 heroes who had been nominated by loved ones stood on a stage under concert lights in front of some 1,400 cheering fans. These 12 veterans had something in common. Each one of them had stepped up and courageously and honorably fought in battle. All of them had been wounded and, thus, received the
U.S. military decoration Purple Heart. On this evening, one of these heroes would drive way with a 2007 Ford Purple Heart Mustang, which was graciously provided by Korum Motors. Before the announcement would take place, however, entertaining in concert was the shining, vibrant and talented country artist Josh Gracin. An “American Idol” top 5 finalist and former Marine, Gracin took the stage and electrified the crowd, singing songs from his album, “We Weren’t Crazy.” Gracin finished a song and then made his way to the front of the stage where he spoke about the veterans and about how special Purple Heart recipients are. He then reached in his pocket and pulled out the Mustang keys. Announcing it was time, Gracin paused, looked around, smiled, and then tossed the keys into the air. The packed crowd quieted down. Just like a flawlessly thrown touchdown, the keys landed directly in Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Whalen’s hands as if rehearsed. “I thought Josh Gracin was crazy for throwing the keys to that magnificent car into the crowd! I was wondering to myself, ‘Does he even know me from Adam?’ It wasn’t until he told me to stand up and said my name that I started to understand that we had won. Even then it was some time before it sank in,” Whalen said.Whalen looked over at his wife with his eyes wide open but hardly any other facial reaction. His wife quickly became emotional, hugging and kissing Whalen on the cheek. Whalen and his wife stood up and acknowledged everyone, and then the other Purple Heart recipients came over to congratulate him with hugs and handshakes. Afterwards, I had a chance to ask Whalen some questions about this great evening.

Ranger: So what does it feel like to win this Purple Heart car?Whalen: My wife and I have spoken often about our obvious exhilaration and pride for winning. We are indeed very excited, but this is a unique contest in that all of the contestants — and especially the final 12 — are extremely deserving. So there is a side that makes us hesitant to be too celebratory. We simply feel now that it will be our duty to continue to earn this car and pay it forward by bringing it to veterans’ benefits events and the like.

Ranger: Leading up to this event, what have you been doing?Whalen: Imagining what it would be like to win — where we might take the car, what events we might take it to, and how we could start to thank and repay those who made it possible.Ranger: What do you want to tell those who are fighting right now on the front lines?Whalen: I hope they know they are not alone. I and many others stand ready to return and continue to do our part. I also hope they know that what they are doing still makes a difference regardless of what they hear from the media and various politicians. It is quite evident on the ground. Finally, know you are in the thoughts and prayers of my family and many others. And I can certainly attest to the value of that.

Ranger: Where are you going to go on your first trip in the car?Whalen: That is a great question. I wouldn’t mind driving it to Disney World with the family. But that isn’t happening. We have, however, talked about driving out to see the Purple Heart Memorial here inWashington. It could be a fitting first tribute.

Ranger: I have read about your story and how it all went down. Looking back at that moment how has that affected your life?Whalen: I am proud that I had the opportunity to make a real difference to my brothers in arms and, at a higher level, our nation. I am also proud to know that when it mattered I can get done what needs to. A warrior doesn’t always know until he starts taking fire. It sounds trivial, but I come from a group of men that are some of the best and baddest in the military much less the U.S. Air Force, so I want to maintain the image and reputation, and I hope I did.”

Ranger: Those who are wounded come back from war with scars, such as PTSD. What do you want to tell the men and women who are dealing with these issues?Whalen: For some, the fight certainly does not end when they return to the (United) States. I hope they continue to uphold the same level of dedication that got them back here. Keep that fighting spirit throughout the healing process and don’t be afraid, ashamed, or embarrassed to take advantage of any and all resources available. Finally, if some resources are not available, exhaust every avenue to ensure your needs are heard and met.

Ranger: Who do you want to give a shot out to?Whalen: As a military family, you cannot succeed without the help of a lot of people — too many to mention here. So I wish all the blessings on my friends and family. Additionally, I would like to thank all the folks at Korum Ford, MOMS, the Puyallup City Council, the Puyallup Fair board of directors, and everyone else who made this contest happen. 

This is Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Whalen’s heroic story:

Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Whalen was part of a regular combat patrol in eastern Afghanistan on July 19, 2003, when his patrol was ambushed by an experienced group of Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters. It didn’t take long before the enemy hit the lead vehicle, causing the convoy to come to a complete stop directly in the middle of the kill zone. Insurgents made their move, attacking aggressively from three sides. Whalen went into action without hesitation, opening fire with his faithful automatic grenade launcher. Whalen kept the enemies pinned down as his team swiftly moved to a more secure, covered position. Sweat poured down his face, but Whalen knew what he had to do, keeping his calm even as bullets rained down, binging and zipping on his position. Whalen was successfully keeping the enemy at bay, but then, just like a movie gone bad, his grenade launcher malfunctioned. Whalen knew he didn’t have much time to attempt to fix his weapon, because if the enemy found out that he was out of the game, the consequences wouldn’t be good. Whalen looked down at his weapon; suddenly what seemed to be bad was now turning tragic. Whalen had been hit by enemy fire. “I was about halfway through a can of 40 mm when the bullet hit my body armor. The flak vest stopped it, and it rolled behind my belt buckle. The burning against my skin is what told me a round had struck me. Until then, I wasn’t aware of how accurate their fire had been. I pulled it out and stared at it a second — realizing then that I almost bought it — before I snapped out of it and started firing again. Also unbeknownst to me at the time, their fire had knocked my Gerber tool off my belt. I found it later on the ground by the driver’s door as I waited for the air to show,” he recalled.
            “It wasn’t until I finished off that can and tried corrective actions on my MK-19, which had been disabled by enemy fire, that I was finally struck in the arm and shoulder by a bullet and shrapnel.”Whalen went straight to self-administering first aid.  While patching himself up, he continued in the fight by radioing for air support, communicating with and directing the two planes sent to aid the trapped group. Whalen needed treatment for his injuries, but he was disinclined to depart his brothers in arms. He was taken to the hospital, and after only 48 hours he was ready to leave, and that is what he did. Whalen went back into the fight — showing his dedication to his country and fellow soldiers, leading by example. For his actions and bravery, Whalen received the Silver Star in December 2004, making him the first Washington Guardsmen to receive the Silver Star since the Vietnam War.Having earned a Purple Heart on my first deployment, I fully appreciate this event and hope that there are more and more events like this in the near future. It shows that our country is still in tune with the sacrifice of the men and women in uniform after years of war.  

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