The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the armed forces of the United States who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy. The Purple Heart may also be awarded posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration.
The City of Frisco is officially designated as a Purple Heart City. As a city we are always looking for ways to honor these heroes. Our annual Purple Heart Veteran Social is just one of many ways we can show our gratitude. Please visit our calendar to see when the next social will be.
Frisco has been home to a number of Purple Heart Recipients. You can read their bios below.
U.S. Army
1953
Dana Carroll served from 1942 until he retired in May, 1963. He served during World War II and the Korean War. During the Korean War ...read more
U.S. Marine Corps
March 5, 1969 & April 1, 1969
Tim Archer is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Having joined at the ripe age of 17, with his mother's consent, Tim felt the ...read more
United States Army
3 Purple Hearts
Boots was born at a very tender, young age. Following that he traveled around the world with his parents. His father was an Army officer and ...read more
U.S. Marine Corps (Ret)
––––
Jacob Schick, Chief Executive Officer for 22Kill.com, is a third generation Marine who epitomizes service and sacrifice. After a ...read more
United States Navy
October 14, 2005
Shane is a veteran of the United States Navy. A Co-Founder and currently on the Board of DirectorsTreasurer for The Warrior's Keep. ...read more
United States Army
October 27, 2011
Dana Carroll served from 1942 until he retired in May, 1963. He served during World War II and the Korean War. During the Korean War ...read more
United States Marine Corps
September 25, 1969
Lance Corporal Gerard “Jerry” Salerno joined the United States Marine Corps in August 1968. As a Machine Gunner he arrived in Viet Nam ...read more
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United States Army
Purple Heart: 1953
Dana Carroll served from 1942 to until he retired in May 1963. He served during World War II and the Korean War. During the Korean War, Sergeant Dana Carroll served with Sixth Army's 555th Pontoon Bridge Company. According to Carroll, while in the process of delivering heavy bridge material, the unit's Officer in Charge got lost. They stopped in a large field at the base of “Pork Chop Hill.” Enemy soldiers fired mortar rounds damaging the equipment. During the shelling a piece of equipment toppled over onto Sergeant First Class Carroll. He suffered injuries in that incident.
Military Police took him to an Army field hospital. There, he received emergency treatment before being transferred to an American military hospital in Okinawa, Japan. Sergeant First Class Carroll received the Purple Heart. He spent nearly a month in the hospital. From Okinawa, he returned stateside to Fort Lewis, in Tacoma, WA.
U.S. Marine Corps
Purple Hear: March 5, 1969 & April 1, 1969
Tim Archer is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Having joined at the ripe age of 17, with his mother's consent, Tim felt the urge to serve his nation during a time of need. Tim joined the Marines as a Scout for the Marine Combined Action Platoons. Tim was wounded in action on March 5th, 1969 and then again, just weeks later on April 1, 1969. Both injuries required brief stays in the hospital which resulted in him being eligible for an early exit from the service in 1970.
Tim is currently the President and CEO of BlueSky Innovations and is active in the veteran community.
U.S. Army
3 Purple Hearts
Boots was born at a very tender, young age. Following that he traveled around the world with his parents. His father was an Army officer and a Ranger in WWII. After his father retired the family moved to Grand Junction, Colorado where he was blessed by God with some athletic ability. He was fortunate enough to get a football/baseball scholarship to attend the University of Oklahoma (OU).
While at OU he went through the Army ROTC program and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the regular Army. As one of his assignments he served in Vietnam where among his awards he received three Purple Hearts. Some of his other assignments were at Fort Ord, California; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Lee, Virginia; Turkey (NATO); Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and the Pentagon on the U.S. Army General Staff.
After retiring from the Army Boots joined a brand-new company called Microwave Communication, Inc. (MCI). He worked in this startup and later moved to the Plano/Frisco area. He worked through the iterations of MCI (WorldCom) until he left to pursue other interests with other Telecom companies until he retired from Ericsson Inc.
In 2014. Since Boots retired he has done some consulting and spent quality time with his two children and their families to include four (two girls and two boys) of the most fantastic grandchildren a man can have.
Boots is single and enjoys helping veterans through the American Legion Peter J Courcy Post 178 in Frisco, Texas.
U.S. Marine Corps (Ret)
2001-2007
Jacob Schick, Chief Executive Officer for 22Kill.com, is a third generation Marine who epitomizes service and sacrifice. After a triple-stacked tank mine detonated below his vehicle in Al Anbar Province, Iraq in 2004, Jake suffered compound fractures in his left leg and left arm; multiple skin, ligament and bone losses; varying burns; partial loss of his left hand and arm; amputation below the knee of his right leg, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Jake has undergone over 50 operations, 23 blood transfusions, and countless hours of rehabilitation. Jake will tell you his physical injuries weren't the worst that happened to him. For years he dreaded his TBI and PTSD diagnosis; a common mindset amongst warriors. "Physical pain reminds you you're alive, mental pain tests your will to stay that way", is a saying that Jake says often regarding suffering mentally. "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”, is another quote Jake refers to frequently while referring to being a dealer of hope.
Jake has become a staunch advocate for maximizing the potential in people from all walks of life and shares his story and the effects of being severely wounded at public speaking engagements throughout the country to motivate people to be better tomorrow than they were today and raise awareness to the epidemic of the 20-22 warriors that die by suicide every day. A passionate and fearless leader whose quick wit and stories of intestinal fortitude have a profound impact on everyone he meets, Jake has appeared on James Gandolfini’s HBO special “Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq,” as well as “60 Minute Sports” and various other local and national venues. Jake also plays a role in Clint Eastwood's production of “American Sniper” and will also be appearing in Bradley Cooper's production of “A Star is Born” in October. You can read Jake’s eloquent wisdom on resilience in Psychology Today.
U.S. Navy
Purple Hear: October 14, 2005
Shane is a veteran of the United States Navy. A Co-Founder and currently on the Board of DirectorsTreasurer for The Warrior's Keep, a veteran non-profit.
On October 14, 2005 his squad from 2nd Battalion 7th Marines Echo Co. was attacked while conducting an unmounted security patrol in the city of Fallujah, Iraq utilizing hand grenades. The squad's main objective that day was to clear vehicles from the two voting sites within their area of operation, as it would be the first election that women were allowed to vote. The attack resulted in he and one of his Marines being wounded where they were soon medically evacuated to their Battalion's forward operating base. Fortunately, they were only walking wounded.
Shane has only recently found what he believes is his purpose and that is to help fellow veterans with O.A.T.H (Outdoor Adventure Therapy for Heroes) through The Warrior's Keep. Shane has also just been giving the opportunity to enjoy the unexplained life changing rewards of a service dog thanks to the veteran owned and operated Kilo and Frei Kennels LLC.
U.S. Army
Purple Hear: October 27, 2011
Casey McEuin. Casey is a veteran of the United States Army and currently the President and Executive Director of a very innovative nonprofit organization called Project RELO.
On October 27, 2011, Casey's Forward Operating Base, camp Nathan Smith, came under a complex attack. During the attack, one of Casey's Soldiers was critically wounded and while Casey was tending to his fallen comrade, Casey was shot by enemy insurgents. Casey was immediately evacuated from site, to recover from his injuries. Discharged from the military after his recovery, three years later, he worked to assimilate into a society that was unable to understand the full extent of what a veteran of 17 years had to offer the workforce.
Galvanized by his experiences, McEuin dedicated himself to helping veterans transition more effectively into the civilian workforce. He fulfills this mission as the top leader of Project RELO, and by setting the example for other veterans by continuing his education, and personal and professional development. Casey was honored by, then President, Barack Obama in April of 2016 for his continued service to the veteran community.
U.S. Marine Corps
Purple Hear: September 25, 1969
Lance Corporal Gerard “Jerry” Salerno joined the United States Marine Corps in August 1968. As a Machine Gunner he arrived in Viet Nam on Valentines' Day 1969.
He was awarded two meritorious combat promotions and was now a Machine Gun Squad Leader and responsible for 2 four-man machine-gun teams. He was involved in several operations before being Critically wounded.
On September 25, 1969, Salerno was wounded in the abdomen on Operation Pipestone Canyon in Quang Nam Province, south of Danang on a battalion size search and clear operation. Salerno was transported via medi-vac to a U.S. Naval Hospital in Danang where he was later taken to Yokosuka, Japan, and then to his final hospitalization at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital.
Last rites are the last prayers and ministrations given to many Catholics when possible shortly before death. During his travels, Salerno received last rites twice. In December 1969, LCPL Gerard Salerno received an honorable medical discharge. Jerry is currently retired and has lived in Frisco since 2009.
