WASHINGTON, D.C. — A local veteran was honored by President Donald Trump at a ceremony celebrating National Purple Heart Day on Thursday, a White House official shared with News 3.
Williamsburg's Colonel Thomas "TC" Smith, a Purple Heart recipient, was invited to the White House for his service, the official said. He was among nearly 100 Purple Heart recipients honored at the ceremony.
Colonel Smith was wounded in 1971 while flying a reconnaissance mission over Vietnam. His helicopter was hit 43 times, she detailed.
Colonel Smith served for over 25 years, but his service does not stop there, the official shared. He acts as a mentor to ROTC cadets and supports Wounded Warriors.
In 2021, Colonel Smith was Virginia's Purple Heart Patriot Project Honoree.
