Glenn Fisher, 99, accepted a Purple Heart award at a ceremony Wednesday at Louisville’s Frazier History Museum, 81 years after he was wounded fighting in World War II. “I’ve been so excited, I haven’t been able to sleep at night thinking about what a wonderful thing is happening,” Fisher said at the event.
Ceremony at the Frazier History Museum
The museum hosted a small public ceremony attended by local veterans, friends and community members as military representatives formally presented the Purple Heart award. The presentation came days before Fisher’s 100th birthday and was described by organizers as a long-awaited recognition of his wartime sacrifice.
“Sometimes I’d wake up and say, ‘now, is this really true?’ And it is, it’s really true,” Fisher said during the presentation.
Speakers at the ceremony praised Fisher’s persistence. Jeff Thoke, a longtime friend who led the documentation effort, described Fisher as “the best of America” and credited volunteers and researchers who gathered records needed to make the case to Army reviewers.
How Fisher’s Purple Heart award was verified
Jeff Thoke spent years researching Fisher’s military service and assembling hundreds of pages of records, including unit histories, movement logs and contemporary paperwork tying Fisher to specific wartime events. Those compiled files were submitted to Army reviewers and were central to approving the award, according to local reporting by WHAS11 and national coverage by Fox News.
Thoke’s work included locating unit documents for the 556th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Weapons Battalion and matching those unit movements to Fisher’s service timeline. Military reviewers examined the submitted material as part of the administrative correction process that can resolve incomplete World War II-era records.
Where and when he was wounded
Local reporting by WHAS11 says Fisher enlisted in 1943 at age 16 with his parents’ permission and later landed on Utah Beach during the Normandy campaign. He served with the U.S. Army’s 556th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Weapons Battalion and fought through campaigns that included the Battle of the Bulge.
WHAS11 reported Fisher was wounded on March 25, 1945, while his unit waited to cross the Rhine River after German artillery struck their position. He later returned to duty weeks after the injury and served through the final weeks of the war. WHAS11 also reported that Fisher’s unit met Soviet forces at the Elbe River near the end of the conflict and that he took part in duties in Antwerp, Belgium, following the fighting.
Why the Purple Heart was delayed
Fisher and local outlets have said the medal was delayed because his wartime injuries were never properly documented in contemporaneous Army paperwork. Over the decades, Fisher made multiple attempts to obtain the medal but was told the service could not find sufficient evidence in its records.
Fox News reported that the outlet contacted the Army for comment on the approval process but did not immediately receive a response. Experts and advocates who assist with historical record corrections say gaps like these are not uncommon for World War II cases and often require extensive archival research to resolve.
What this means now and next steps
The ceremony in Kentucky provided public recognition of Fisher’s service and closed a long chapter in his efforts to receive the Purple Heart award. Local leaders framed the event as both a personal milestone for Fisher and a community moment of gratitude for his service.
Administrative military review processes sometimes include additional paperwork or formal notices after a medal is approved; reporters noted the ceremony appeared to mark the end of Fisher’s decades-long pursuit, though routine follow-up from the Army could still occur, according to WHAS11 and Fox News coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Why did it take 81 years for Fisher to get the Purple Heart?
According to WHAS11 reporting, the primary reason was missing or incomplete wartime documentation of his injuries. Earlier requests to the Army did not find enough supporting evidence until volunteers and researchers compiled and submitted detailed historical records.
Who researched and verified Fisher’s service records?
Jeff Thoke, a longtime friend of Fisher, led the research effort, collecting hundreds of pages of unit histories, movement logs and other documentation. WHAS11 and Fox News reported that Thoke’s files were central to convincing Army reviewers to approve the award.
What unit did Fisher serve with and where was he wounded?
Reporting identifies Fisher as serving with the 556th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Weapons Battalion. He landed on Utah Beach, fought during the Battle of the Bulge and was wounded on March 25, 1945, near the Rhine River while awaiting a crossing, according to WHAS11.
Sources for this article: Fox News and WHAS11. See Fox News: 99-year-old WWII veteran awarded Purple Heart after waiting more than 80 years, and WHAS11: local report on Fisher’s effort.
