Hotel honors Purple Heart recipients

Don Hallquist , Frank Thurston and Mike Price each call a different spot in the country home. But they always make efforts to come together for their battalion reunion.

“In Vietnam, guys get medevaced out and you don’t know if they live or die or whatever. After 40 years we got together and didn’t know we existed anymore and it’s just been a great reunion,” Hallquist said.

They each received Purple Hearts for their actions fighting in Shakey’s Hill Operation during the Vietnam War.

“Shakey’s Hill, Cambodia. We took a hill over there that had over 200 tons of weapons and ammunition,” Thurston said.

To help honor their actions, Hotel Elegante in Colorado Springs donated the proceeds from food purchases to the Military Order Of The Purple Heart

“We always try to do something to honor the military when it’s a special day like Purple Heart Day or Veterans Day,” said Angela Clark, the hotel manager.

Hallquist says he appreciates the recognition because as a Vietnam veteran, it wasn’t always given.

“When we first came home years back, there was no appreciation for anything,” Hallquist said.