Thursday was National Purple Heart Day and the day was commemorated at the Pennsylvania Soldiers' and Sailors' Home in Erie.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart, Commodore Perry Chapter 197, gathered at the home's Purple Heart memorial.

The commemoration observed over 1.8 million estimated recipients of the Purple Heart.

The Purple Heart is the nation's oldest military award and is given to men and women killed or wounded during military service.

"To recognize that their sacrifices, their family's sacrifices and what they continue to deal with today because these injuries don't go away, if anything, over time they only get worse," said Brian Fuller, commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Commodore Perry Chapter 197.

There are 146 Purple Heart veterans currently living

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