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Purple Heart honoree Rep. John Kriesel to award Purple Heart to another Minnesotan

By Joe Kimball | 06/15/11

State Rep. John Kriesel, the rookie Republican legislator who lost both legs while serving in Iraq, will be at a Texas Army hospital Tuesday to present a Purple Heart to another wounded Minnesotan, Army PFC Jack Zimmerman of Cleveland, Minn.

Zimmerman, 21, was wounded by an explosive device while serving in Afghanistan. He's recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Like Kriesel, he lost both his legs. There's more information about Zimmerman at his CaringBridge site.

Kriesel, of Afton, was awarded his Purple Heart in 2006. It's the honor given to those wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces.