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From Virginia Humanities, this is backstory.

Welcome to backstory, the show that explains the history behind today's headlines. I'm Nathan Connolly, and I'm Brian Ballot.

If you're new to the podcast, Nathan, Ed Ayers, Joanne Freeman, and I are all historians. Each week we explore the history of one topic that's been in the news.

Today, we're going to start off in Charleston, South Carolina, where a purple heart was just awarded to a World War I veteran for his heroic service 100 years ago.

It was absolutely great. I get kind of emotional, particularly when something is near and dear to my heart.

It's undertaking. And so I got a little tear you know, that was Perry James grandson of World War I veteran and purple heart winner Sergeant Perry Lloyd.

And after our finish, I wish I said that soldiers don't cry soldiers don't cry, but then I realized I was a sailor.

And they do cry.

But in all seriousness, I tend to take life with the glass half full. And I don't fault anybody for my grandfather not getting the recognition.

I'm grateful to be in the position to do the research and to give back to the community and to receive such a wonderful honor on behalf of my grandfather.

And my mother she was sitting there. She's 88 years old and they said, Elise James, at least Lloyd James. And when we first found out about my grandfather's wounding, she had forgotten about it a little bit.

And she said, yeah, I do remember him saying that he was wounded about the head. And she said, well, Perry, I just want you to get me his purple heart.

And you just really don't tell Elise Lloyd James no.

So that's what sent you on your mission.

Oh, absolutely. I was on my mission. And when we got the actual email, I was at our house, got the email that my grandfather had been awarded the purple heart.

You would have thought we won that one billion out of lottery that's out there. Wow.

Now you ended up going to France to retrace your grandfather's steps.

Absolutely. What was that like?

Oh, there's a big smile that comes on my face every time I think about it.

I'm thanking all the lucky stars that I had this opportunity to go over because it afforded me a chance to actually go to the site in France where my grandfather had been wounded 100 years, 100 years to go.

And I'm going to go over to the day.

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