Minnesota soldier receives Purple Heart

Photo By Cpl. Trisha Betz | Sgt. Jesse Lund, retired, a New Ulm, Minn., native, receives the Purple Heart medal six years after he was wounded in Iraq. Lund was honored at his last unit of assignment Alpha Company, 134th Brigade Support Battalion, 1/34th Infantry Division's armory in Brooklyn Park, Minn., Dec. 8. Lund was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from September 2005 to July 2007 and was stationed in Scania, Iraq. On June 29, 2006, while conducting convoy operations near Balad, Iraq, Lund's vehicle hit an improvised explosive device resulting in his combat injuries and the loss of brother-in-arms Sgt. Kyle Miller.  

BROOKLYN PARK, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES

12.08.2012

Story by Cpl. Trisha Betz 

Minnesota National Guard

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. – Army Sgt. Jesse Lund, retired, a New Ulm, Minn. native, received the Purple Heart Medal at his former unit, Alpha Company, 134th Brigade Support Battalion, 1/34th Infantry Division’s Armory and Community Center, Dec 8., six years after he was wounded in Iraq.

“After everything we went through that night, it’s an honor to receive this,” said Lund.

Lund was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from September 2005 to July 2007 and was stationed in Nippur, Iraq. On Jun. 29, 2006, while conducting convoy operations near Balad, Iraq, Lund’s vehicle hit an improvised explosive device resulting in his combat injuries and the loss of brother-in-arms Sgt. Kyle Miller, a Willmar, Minn., native.

It was on this deployment that Lund’s wife Darcy gave birth to their daughter Kadence. Because of this Jesse requested that 7-year-old Kadence pin the Purple Heart Medal to his chest.

“It means a lot to me to have my daughter pin me because she was actually born when we were deployed, so I wasn’t there for it and I missed the first two years of her life because of it,” said Lund.

There is perhaps no military award as well known as the Purple Heart. With a history that grows daily as new recipients are added to the list of wounded combat veterans, Lund commented that he would rather trade the medal for a clean bill of health.

But despite his injuries, Lund would gladly sign on the dotted line one more time.

“A few of the soldiers that I served with on my deployment are still in. It was great to serve with them and I’d do it again,” said Lund. “Being around them just makes things better than before.”

• Date Taken: 12.08.2012
• Date Posted: 12.14.2012 16:13
• Story ID: 99329
• Location: BROOKLYN PARK, MINNESOTA, US
• Hometown: NEW ULM, MINNESOTA, US