The Purple Heart
It is the oldest of all the awards presented to Armed Forces. It is also one of the most recognizable.
And in World War II alone, it was awarded to more than one million men and women from all branches of the service.
August 7 is a day set aside to honor the Purple Heart military citation.
The Purple Heart started in 1782 when General George Washington saw the need to encourage troops fighting for the country in the Continental Army. With a shortage of supplies and food, coupled with tough battles and low pay, the General felt at least recognizing valor, meritorious service and heroic actions would be a psychological boost for the fighting forces.
So the cloth purple heart, to be worn over the left breast and known as the Badge of Military Merit, was created. It was August 7, 1782.
This was something new, recognizing the service of the common soldier. At the time, most awards and medals were reserved for great commanders or national leaders.
Yet over the next 150 years, the Badge of Military Merit was apparently forgotten. Between the Revolution and World War I, only three were issued, according to federal records.
Only the Congressional Medal of Honor could be earned by soldiers and officers. And with its high standards and reasons, few could receive that. With other Allied and Axis nations recognizing their fighting forces with any number of medals for a variety of service and merit, Congress then created the Distinguished Service Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal.
But in 1932, Douglas MacArthur was the Army Chief of Staff and General MacArthur wanted more for his men. Reaching back into history, he changed the name of the Badge of Military Merit and called it the Purple Heart in a General Order 3 issued Feb. 22, 1932, the birthday of the General who had instituted it. It was to be presented for meritorious or valorous service in the US Army.
Soldiers presented with the medal during WW I had also gotten a chevron to be attached to the lower right sleeve of his uniform, one chevron for each wound. Because of the number of chevrons earned in this manner, that idea ended shortly.
By the beginning of World War II approximately 78,000 Purple Hearts were issued to US Army personnel who had been wounded, with records making it possible to site recipients as far back as the Civil War. At that time, a soldier need only apply and explain his reason for being cited.
But it was still only an award for Army soldiers.
That changed in April, 1942, less than six months after Pearl Harbor threw the United States into the War to end all wars.
The War Department saw the need to have the Purple Heart issued to service members who were killed in action as recognition of their sacrifice. Meritorious service was eliminated as a qualification for the Purple Heart, and a newly created Legion of Merit was established to honor those military.
The Purple Heart could only be awarded for being wounded or killed by enemy action.
Within months, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the Navy Department to award the Purple Heart to any Navy, Marine, or Coast Guard personnel who were wounded or killed in action. He directed the award be given to those earning back dating back to December 7, 1941.
The Purple Heart is the highest award automatically given to an officer or enlisted person as soon as criteria are met, with no proposal or review. And it can be awarded multiple times for multiple wounds on separate occasions.
The Purple Heart has since been presented during Korea, Vietnam, and terrorism conflicts.
It is a vivid sign of often hidden signs of what a brave man or woman has endured for their fellow man.
