Top Stories of 2012

No. 2 Top Story of 2012: Wiggins Place Man Gets His Purple Heart 67 Years Later

Donald Arnold received the prestigious award in July for his service in World War II.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published on July 6, 2012.  “I wasn’t thinking,” said U.S. Army Pvt. Donald Arnold. “We started to get shot at very heavily, and I jumped on the hood of a Jeep and hollered for somebody to drive it to go to the wounded men.” He spoke slowly. “And I thought, well, with the red cross on my helmet, they wouldn’t shoot at me. But it wasn’t true.” He took a long pause, staring straight ahead, then went on. “So we drove through town, picking up what we could of wounded men to get them out of harm’s way.” Arnold, a Cleveland Heights native who lived for several years in Shaker Heights and Beachwood, was serving in Schildgen, Germany on April 14, 1945. He was 22. “The human mind is funny,” said Donald …

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GALLERY: Marines Celebrated at Menorah Park

Veteran Marine Tim DeWolf recognizes senior veterans as part of Marine Week

Though all eyes were on him Tuesday morning, Marine Week speaker Tim DeWolf wanted the focus on veterans at Menorah Park Center for Senior Living. DeWolf, a Vietnam War veteran, spoke to about 100 seniors from Menorah and other area homes. Though he spent 14 months in Vietnam and was wounded in action, DeWolf was impressed with veterans in the crowd who served the country in World War II and more. "I'd like to thank you for the country that you left my generation," DeWolf said. "The roads, the schools, the community, all those things. If we had prosperity, it's because you invested in it." DeWolf and the staff at Menorah presented about 30 U.S. Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force veterans with certificates. He also spoke to the crowd about …

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