July 22, 2025

Hahn led Board of Supervisors in the proclamation of August 7 as Purple Heart Day

Hahn recognizes local Purple Heart Veterans

Los Angeles, CA – Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn honored 15 local Purple Heart recipients during the meeting of the Board of Supervisors. The Purple Heart honors individuals wounded or killed in combat while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The presentation comes just a week after the board approved Hahn’s motion to proclaim August 7 Purple Heart Day in Los Angeles County for the first time in the county’s history.

“Each of you have endured what most cannot imagine,” said Hahn to the honorees during the presentation. “You have borne wounds in defense of this country – physical, emotional, and spiritual. Today we honor that sacrifice. Our nation owes you not only gratitude, but our support.”

The Purple Heart is one of the oldest and most distinguished military decorations in the United States. Its origins date back to August 7, 1782, when General George Washington, unable to promote soldiers based on merit due to restrictions from the Continental Congress, created the Badge of Military Merit. In his order he authorized the badge, a purple heart-shaped cloth symbol, to recognize soldiers who performed “singularly meritorious action.”

Louis Dominguez speaks at Board Meeting

“On behalf of my fellow veterans and myself, we want to thank the County and each supervisor for giving us this wonderful chance to be recognized, especially our own supervisor for me, Janice Hahn. She’s the one that got us together. Thank you for this wonderful proclamation,” said Louis Dominguez during today’s presentation. Dominguez is a longtime community leader and former teacher in San Pedro who voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1966 and served in the Vietnam War where he suffered serious injury. Dominguez was later recognized with various awards for his service, including a Purple Heart. In 2023, Hahn opened a 60-room interim housing site for formerly homeless veterans in San Pedro and named it the Louis Dominguez Veterans Center in Dominguez’s honor.

All of the veterans Hahn honored reside in the Fourth District and served in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan and are listed below:

• Louis Dominguez – U.S. Army, Vietnam War
• Rodolfo “Rudy” Casas – U.S. Army, Korean War
• Zeferino John Madrigal III – U.S. Army, Afghanistan War
• Bladamir Rodriguez – U.S. Army, Iraq War
• Aeron Rimando – U.S. Army, Afghanistan War
• Jesus Esquivel – U.S. Army, Afghanistan War
• Alberto Lopez – U.S. Army, Afghanistan War
• Santiago Rios – U.S. Army, Vietnam War
• Michael Whiting – U.S. Army, Vietnam War
• Leonard Pijpaert – U.S. Army, Iraq War
• Robert Castillo – U.S. Army, Korean War
• Alfred Mota – U.S. Army, Korean War
• Ruben Valencia – U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam War
• Richard “Dickie” Rivas – U.S. Marine Corps, Korean War
• James Stephen Dolan – U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam War

Footage of today’s presentation is available for download here: Video: Supervisor Hahn Honors Purple Heart Veterans 7-22-2025.

More photos from today’s reception and presentation available below
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