MONKTON, Md. — A local veteran and Purple Heart recipient celebrated his 100th birthday Tuesday.
Col. (Ret.) Orville Hughes served in the U.S. Army for 26 years. He fought in World War II. where he was injured, captured, and held as a prisoner of war for about two weeks. He also fought in the Korean War.
After the Korean War, Hughes transferred to military intelligence and had tours in Germany and Austria during the Cold War.
Hughes celebrated Tuesday with family, friends, and the community at the Wellspring of Life Farm in Monkton.
Hughes received the Silver Star for valor during his deployment and recently received an Ambassador of Peace medal from Republic of Korea Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs for his service there.
In 2005, he was selected as Maryland’s “Veteran of the Year” for the “American Patriotism in Maryland Schools” Resolution.