Army Brig. Gen. Gregory Holden’s Purple Heart. Holden received the award alongside six other Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans in a ceremony hosted by Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon, July 29, 2026. (Aaron Troutman/U.S. Army)
Six service members received the Purple Heart on Wednesday during a Pentagon Hall of Heroes ceremony honoring their actions in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“Today we will recognize six Americans who paid the very real price in service to this country. A price in the hardest currency that our profession knows — that currency is blood,” said Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who presented the award.
The recipients of the oldest military decoration were Army Brig. Gen. Gregory Holden, retired Army Sgt. 1st Class LaRitza Hamby, retired Army Maj. Tony Jones, retired Army Lt. Col. Mario Roberts and retired Air Force Col. Mark Wisher.
Maj. Gregory Stone of the Idaho Air National Guard was honored posthumously, with his son, Joshua Stone, accepting the medal on his behalf.
“I’m kind of emotional right now, and at a loss for words. But I’m just happy for all of us, and I’m happy for those who came before us, and all those who are going to come after us,” Roberts said.
The service members were wounded March 23, 2003 during a grenade attack by a fellow service member at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait, with Stone dying from his injuries two days later, according to a Defense Department news release.
“It means a lot coming out here, receiving this on his behalf and getting to meet everyone [my father] served with for those three weeks in Kuwait,” Stone said.
Stone was 7 years old when his father was killed in the attack.
“It means a lot,” Holden said. “It’s a complete honor that they finally recognize this. … huge thanks to [Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth] for really making this happen. It’s truly an honor.”
From left to right: Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class LaRitza Hamby, Army Brig. Gen. Gregory Holden, retired Army Maj. Tony Jones, Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney, Joshua Stone, retired Army Lt. Col. Mario Roberts, and retired Air Force Col. Mark Wisher gather in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon on July 29, 2026. (Aaron Troutman/U.S. Army)
Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney pins a Purple Heart on Army Brig. Gen. Gregory Holden in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon, July 29, 2026. (Aaron Troutman/U.S. Army)
Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney pins a Purple Heart on retired Army Lt. Col. Mario Roberts at the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon, July 29, 2026. (Aaron Troutman/U.S. Army)
Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney shakes retired Air Force Col. Mark Wisher’s hand after awarding him a Purple Heart in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon, July 29, 2026. (Aaron Troutman/U.S. Army)
Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney poses with retired Army Sgt. 1st Class LaRitza Hamby after awarding her a Purple Heart in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon, July 29, 2026. (Aaron Troutman/U.S. Army)
Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney poses with retired Army Maj. Tony Jones after awarding him a Purple Heart in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon, July 29, 2026. (Aaron Troutman/U.S. Army)
Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney hosts a Purple Heart Ceremony held in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon, July 29, 2026. (Aaron Troutman/U.S. Army)
A Purple Heart Ceremony held in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon, July 29, 2026. (Aaron Troutman/U.S. Army)
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