Queens man gets Purple Heart posthumously

More than 60 years after suffering injuries while fighting in World War II and three years after his death, lifelong Queens resident Joseph Dipierno finally received the Purple Heart posthumously for his heroic service to his country.
Congressmember Carolyn Maloney presented a posthumous Purple Heart to Dipierno’s grandson, Jim Tsaveras, and other members of his family at a recent ceremony at the Long Island City Library.
“Staff Sergeant Joseph Dipierno served his country with bravery and pride, and I am truly honored to present his family with one of our nation’s greatest honors, the Purple Heart,” Maloney said.
Dipierno, a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Force during World War II, was injured in a mine explosion on January 7, 1945 near Metz, France. Dipierno’s fellow service members, including Joseph Hanson, who attended the ceremony, credit Dipierno with saving their lives that day.
However, because Dipierno’s wounds were treated in the field rather than at a hospital, the Army Air Force had no record of his injuries so he did not receive a Purple Heart at the time.
After Dipierno died in 2005, his grandson found out that the other soldiers his grandfather served with received the Purple Heart. With the help of Hanson and Hanson’s son Jerry, Tsaveras was able to document his grandfather’s injuries and secure the Purple Heart his grandfather had earned.
“Mr. Dipierno was a devoted family man, an avid sports fan, a talented baseball player, a lifelong resident of Queens, and a decorated war hero,” Maloney said. “I thank Jim Tsaveras and Mr. Dipierno’s other family members for allowing me to share this wonderful day with them.”