A Purple Heart is probably the highest badge of honor an American soldier - living or dead - can receive.

First given by George Washington as commander of the U.S. Continental Army in the late 1700s, the award is bestowed upon any member of the nation's armed forces who is wounded or killed during combat.

The oldest known symbol of military bravery, the Purple Heart exemplifies a consummate sense of honor and duty demonstrated by U.S. troops.

And recently, the distinguished award was bestowed upon a young soldier from Cayuga County.

Pfc. Russell Chappell, of Cayuga, is a 20-year-old member of the 503rd Infantry Regiment's 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Known throughout the world as the “Sky Soldiers,” the elite unit gained notoriety during the Vietnam War and has been invaluable in the nation's conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On Aug. 31, 2007, Chappell was pulling security duty at an outpost in Afghanistan when his position was attacked by insurgents.

Chappell returned fire, but the insurgents launched a rocket-propelled grenade which struck the outpost head-on.

The RPG caused injuries to all four of Chappell's extremities, and the young soldier was rushed to Landstuhl, a military hospital in Germany.

“I ended up having seven surgeries altogether,” Chappell said from his Cayuga home last week. After first being deployed to Afghanistan last May, he returned home in December before shipping out again Jan. 2.

On Dec. 20, 2007 at an award ceremony near Vicenza, Italy, the 173rd Airborne's home base, Major General Frank Helmick bestowed Chappell with the most distinguished of military honors - a Purple Heart.

The soft-spoken Chappell downplayed the honor.

“I'm glad that I got it. ... But it was just an award ceremony, really no big deal,” he said quietly.

Chappell's mother, Debbie, said she's been left with great appreciation for both the Army and the local community for the way they've treated the family.

Debbie said the Army was “fantastic” after her son got hurt, calling the family within the hour and continually updating them on his condition and as to where he was being moved.

And when he did return home, his employer, Bass Pro Shops, put him back to work in the hunting and archery department and held a special fund-raiser to send him on a wild-boar hunt.

“I was really impressed wi th the Army,” Debbie said. “And the way the community had supported him has been incredible.”

And Debbie believes her son's decision to return to duty speaks volumes about his character.

“(My husband) Paul and I are really proud of him. ... He's worked really hard to overcome his injuries so he can get right back over there,” she said. “As a mother, I don't want him to go back, but I respect him for that.”

Chappell said he was given the option of withdrawing from military service, but he decided to return without a second thought.

“I'm going back for my guys over there,” he said, referring to the 20 fellow members of his platoon. “I can't really live a normal life here knowing that they're still over there ... So I'm doing it for them.”

To learn more

For more information on the 173rd Airborne Brigade, visit www.173rdairborne.com