Eight U.S. soldiers awarded Purple Hearts

Members of the U.S Army's 10th Mountain Division, who were wounded in Afghanistan, are awarded Purple Hearts on Saturday.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Eight soldiers wounded in the early fighting of Operation Anaconda are heroes, the U.S. commander of the coalition mission in Afghanistan said Saturday as he pinned Purple Hearts on their desert-camouflage uniforms.

As the members of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division were honored, their comrades were meeting some pockets of resistance from al Qaeda and Taliban fighters in the rugged mountains above the Shah-e-kot Valley where they have been systematically eradicating the enemy.

The Purple Heart is awarded to service members wounded or killed in battle.

The men honored Saturday were wounded on March 2 during a fierce fight with Taliban and al Qaeda forces, said Maj. Gen. Frank L. Hagenbeck, commander of the coalition joint task force in Afghanistan.

EXTRA INFORMATION Gallery: Purple Heart ceremony

For some, evacuation took as long as 16 hours because of the raging battle, he said.

But the enemy forces "are no longer there," he said. "Their leaders are on the run. All of you standing here are heroes."

Maj. James Hall, one of the recipients, told CNN it was an honor to receive the award.

"It's not one of the awards you set as a goal to receive," Hall said. "But it's an honor to stand up and receive it."

The worst of Operation Anaconda's fighting ended a week ago, but U.S. commanders have pledged the mission will not end in the mountains of Paktia province -- or elsewhere -- until the al Qaeda and Taliban fighters are destroyed.