Palmer soldier receives Purple Heart

Pvt. 1st Class Lee M. Hodsdon of the First Infantry from Palmer, who was deployed from Fort Riley, Kan., to Iraq in September 2006, received a Purple Heart for his duty served. Hodsdon was injured by a roadside bomb while in the line of duty. He graduated from the Alaska Military Youth Academy at Fort Richardson in Anchorage in 2005.

Hodsdon is the son of Mike and Patti Hodsdon of Palmer and grandparents Max and Ruth Hodsdon from Palmer, Neil and Kathy Hermon from Palmer, David and Suzanne Myszak from Colorado, and Maurice and Marylin Messer from Arizona.

“We’re very proud of him,” said Patti Hodsdon. “We can’t wait to see him home soon.”

Hodsdon will be returning to Palmer for the holidays and then deployed again in February.