The Military Order of the Purple Heart in Florida wants to have Levy County join a national movement to rename U.S. Highway 27 ... about three years late.

“How could they forget us,” asked Commissioner Chad Johnson, when the item came up for a vote at Tuesday's Board of Commissioners meeting.

“Especially in three years,” County Coordinator Fred Moody said as the room broke into laughter.

The national association of veterans who have earned the award is behind the drive to designate the highway, which runs from South Florida to Michigan, as the Purple Heart Highway.

The commission gladly gave its unanimous approval to renaming the 38.34 miles of the highway than runs through Levy County.

The Purple Heart, the world's oldest military decoration, was first created in 1782 by then Gen. George Washington. He had been told by the Continental Congress to stop awarding field commissions to valorous soldiers because they did not have the money to pay for the promotions, according to the Military Order's website.

In 1932 the Purple Heart was redesigned from a cloth patch for the uniform into a gold and purple medal with Washington's bust in the center. It is combat decoration bestowed for injuries or death sustained by an instrument of war at the hands of an enemy. The medal has been awarded to 1.75 million military personnel since its inception and it is estimated 500,000 recipients are still living according to the Military Order.

In Tuesday's meeting, Moody presented a letter from Fred Arbelo, commander of the Highlands Chapter 601 of the  Military Order, explaining that when the project started three years ago the organization was informed that it would need endorsements from 17 counties in Florida that would be affected by the name change.

After obtaining the 17 proclamations and resolutions endorsing the designation, he presented them to State Rep. Rebecca Grimsley for presentation to the state Legislature.

Grimsley's office informed Arbelo that while the bill will be presented in the next legislative session, the state Department of Trnasportation had informed the representative that three counties were missing — Palm Beach, Columbia  and Levy.

“I apologize for this oversight,” Arbelo said in his letter. “I implore you to please aid us in getting U.S. Highway 27  renamed.”

“I checked and check and re-checked it and they (state officials) said I'm positive it's only 17, Arbelo said in a telephone call on Tuesday. “I check cause I said I did not want to leave anyone out.”

Arbelo said when the project is completed and the governor signs the declaration renaming the highway there will be a celebration at Veterans Beach in Sebring.

 “They're going to have a big party,” Arbelo said.

While the commissioners will be welcome at the celebration, its unlikely their wound for being overlooked will qualify any for the combat decoration.