August 7 is Purple Heart Day. A day dedicated to honoring service members who have received the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is awarded to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice giving their lives on the front lines as well as military service personnel who suffered an injury in combat. The Purple Heart has its origins in the Revolutionary War. As of June 5, 2010, approximately 1,910,162 medals have been awarded. Today, we will look briefly into the history of the Purple Heart, the Hall of Honor dedicated to those who have received the award and notable recipients.
Considered to be the military’s oldest medal, it was first known as the Fidelity Medallion. Created by the Continental Congress in 1780 and was awarded to three soldiers for their service during the Revolutionary War (DeSimone, 2020). In 1782, President George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit. It was to be given to soldiers who displayed “not only instances of unusual gallantry in battle, but also extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any way” (DeSimone, 2020). It was made of purple silk in the shape of a heart, the word “Merit” embroidered on it. This medal would later evolve into the Purple Heart as we know it today. In 1932, Army General Douglas MacArthur wanted a new look and name for the medal in honor of Washington’s bicentennial birthday. The design still uses the purple ribbon with the added medal medallion with Washington’s likeness. The Purple Heart was originally a combat decoration for the Army and the Army Air Corps for those wounded or killed in action. In 1942, President Roosevelt and the War Department expanded the qualifications to include all military branches. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is a museum of military history with a focus on the human sacrifice and the cost of freedom. Located in New Windsor, New York, the museum offers several galleries and interactive stations in which visitors can learn about the history of the Purple Heart and the recipients through their training, deployment, and battlefield experiences. The Purple Heart Roll of Honor is a computer database which features each Purple Heart recipient. The data collection is an ongoing process as more and more names are continuously being collected. The museum offers an enrollment form on their website for any name which needs to be added to the database as well as further information about names already in the database. The database is also searchable online as well as at the museum. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor exemplifies the saying “Available To All, Desired By None.”Resources
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor https://www.thepurpleheart.com/
References
DeSimone, Danielle (August 3, 2020). 8 Things You Need to Know About the Purple Heart Medal. USO.org. https://www.uso.org/stories/2276-8-purple-heart-facts. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
Ford, Waynes (October 17, 2015). Vietnam veteran with 10 Purple Heart Awards recalls a violent battle. Athens-Banner Herald. https://www.onlineathens.com/article/20151017/NEWS/310179950. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
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