On 12 June 2016 at 1pm, a long lost Vietnam Purple Heart was returned to the family of SP4 Michael D. Hampton.  The ceremony took place at A Company 1-114^th AVN S&S, located in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Specialist 4 Michael Dewayne Hampton was born on 08 February 1950 in North Little Rock, Arkansas to Samuel Livius “Flip” and Ruth Virginia Hampton.  He would later enlist into the U.S. Army in early 1968 and arrived in Vietnam on 15 August of that same year.  He served with the 153rd Engineer Detachment, 159th Engineers Group, 20th Engineer Brigade.  He sacrificed his life on 24 June 1969 in Binh Dinh Province, South Vietnam.  He is honored on the Vietnam Wall at 21W, Section 8.

His awards and decorations consist of the Purple Heart (Posthumously), Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal.

His medal was discovered in a local Little Rock, Arkansas Walmart Parking lot and turned over to the Military Order of the Purple Heart Veteran Service Office.  Mrs. Lori J. Wilka quickly sent the medal to PHR with the hopes they could locate the family.

The medal was returned to SPC4 Hampton’s Niece’s son, Private First Class Brandon George, who just joined the Arkansas National Guard this year.

Special thanks to Juli Whittaker from Genealogy Safari for the research help.

Returning the medals on behalf of Purple Hearts Reunited is Valor Guard Director, LtCol (R) Mitchell Bell from Dallas, Texas.