Korean War Marine, 94, Finally Gets Purple Heart After Seven Decades

Marine Corps veteran Rex Comley receives his Purple Heart on Sunday in Overland Park, Kansas. (Facebook) Military.com | By Kevin Damask Published February 24, 2026 at 3:00am ET Marine Corps veteran Rex Comley received an honor that was long overdue.  

At 94 years old, Comley, of Johnson County, Kansas, was given the Purple Heart he earned serving in the Korean War but had never received until a special ceremony at American Legion Post 0370 in Overland Park, Kansas, on Sunday. 

Comley, who served in the Marine Corps from 1951 to 1954 and became a sergeant, was recognized as a Purple Heart honoree on his military records but he never received the medal for his service. 

“It’s something I didn’t know I had coming,” Comley told KSHB in Kansas City. “But I knew that I never got caught up with the Purple Heart, even though I was entitled to one.” 

While memories fade through seven decades, Comley said he still thinks about the troops he served with. 

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Source: Military.com
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