One Western New York family, two heroes wounded in action, two Purple Hearts, two different wars at two very different times in our history. Parallel circumstances decades apart resulted in the creation of a bond of brotherhood between an uncle and his nephew.

In 1971, Ronald Pilozzi was a second lieutenant with the U. S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles, assigned as an artillery forward observer toBBattery, 2/320th Artillery and attached to A Co., 1/501st Infantry while serving in Vietnam.

On Feb. 27, his unit was under mortar fire in the demilitarized zone. After directing artillery fire that silenced the mortar, the company received orders to move, at which time a rocket-propelled grenade seriously wounded Pilozzi.

After 10 days on the USS Sanctuary, a Navy hospital ship off the coast of Vietnam, he was medevaced to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D. C. After three months of recuperation there, Pilozzi was reassigned to West Germany, where he continued his military service until August 1972 when he was discharged. Today, he is serving his country in a far different manner. He is the mayor of the City of Tonawanda.

Thirty-six years later, in 2007, his nephew, Spc. Nicholas Pilozzi, was serving in Operation Enduring Freedom with the 3rd Squadron, 71 Cavalry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.

On April 12, while manning his .50-caliber machine gun on a mounted recon mission, Pilozzi’s patrol was ambushed by small arms fire and RPG fire. As the patrol advanced toward the enemy, an RPG was shot from the mountainside. It exploded next to Pilozzi’s vehicle, sending shrapnel into his right arm and helmet. He continued to fire on the enemy to provide cover for his medic as the medic provided aid to other wounded comrades.

Besides being family, what brings these two together today is something William Shakespeare wrote in 1599, words that still hold true today: “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother . . .” Ronald and Nicholas are now part of that band of brothers and both are life members in the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Niagara Falls Chapter 264.

The Purple Heart is an American decoration — the oldest military decoration in the world in present use and the first American award made available to the common soldier. It was initially created as the Badge of Military Merit by one of the world’s most famed and best-loved heroes, Gen. George Washington.

The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the U. S. armed forces who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy, and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration.

An organization now known as the Military Order of the Purple Heart was formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of all who have received the decoration. Composed exclusively of Purple Heart recipients, it is the only veterans service organization comprised strictly of “combat” veterans.

The Pilozzi family, our community and all Americans can be proud of their heroes who have done their part and suffered injuries in combat and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in their effort to keep our country safe and free.