NEWBURGH – Mayor Nicholas Valentine is willing to explore with the city council the possibility of adopting the song “Purple Hearted Heroes” as an official song for Newburgh.

Local composer Warren Michaels first wrote the song for the Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor but officials there turned down his offer to adopt the song as the Hall’s.

So, Michaels took it to Newburgh’s mayor since the first Badge of Military Merit, the forerunner to the Purple Heart, was presented at Washington’s Headquarters by General Washington.

Valentine wants to do his homework and explore all angles before advancing the anthem as the city’s own.

“What I want to do is get a feel for, obviously a lot of the veterans groups, a lot of the people around here, make sure that everyone is in favor of this, because what you don’t want to do is, you don’t want other people upset if something is put forward,” he said.

Michael’s song is gaining popularity worldwide as it is being played hundreds of times on the Internet by veterans around the country.