Sep 21, 2026
Members of VFW Post 10131 and its Auxiliary in Cape Canaveral, Florida, hosted a luncheon on June 7 to recognize nine Purple Heart recipients from the Brevard County community.
The Purple Heart recipients were recognized individually and given a certificate and a Purple Heart Challenge coin, along with a meal for them and their friends and families. The event also honored three Purple Heart recipients posthumously.
Among the honorees was Medal of Honor Recipient and Post 10131 Life member Melvin Morris, who served with the Army’s 5th Special Forces Group during the Vietnam War.
Morris received the Medal of Honor for his heroics while serving as commander of a strike force drawn from Co. D, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, during combat operations against an armed enemy near Chi Lang on Sept. 17, 1969.
That afternoon, Staff Sergeant Morris' companies encountered a large enemy minefield and were engaged by hostiles. He received radio reports that a fellow team commander was killed near an enemy bunker. Morris quickly reorganized his men into an effective assault formation, advanced forward and split off with two men to recover the fallen commander’s body.
Morris charged into enemy fire with only his men’s suppressive fire for cover. Despite continuous strafing from enemy machine guns, he destroyed four bunkers with hand grenades and pressed on. Reaching the bunker near the fallen team commander, he repelled the enemy, retrieved his comrade and began the difficult trek back to friendly lines. He was wounded three times as he struggled forward, but ultimately succeeded in returning his fallen comrade to a friendly position.
Morris was honored at the luncheon, held in conjunction with Post 10131’s First Responders luncheon.
Post 10131 hosts this drop-in luncheon once a month, and it is open to all Law Enforcement, firefighters and EMTs. First responders are provided a free lunch and an opportunity for camaraderie in the post dining room.
This article is featured in the 2026 September issue of Checkpoint. If you're a VFW member and don't currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org.