- Established
- 1932 (revived from George Washington’s 1782 Badge of Military Merit)
- Awarded by
- All services
- Criteria
- Wounded or killed as a result of enemy action while serving with the U.S. armed forces.
- Precedence
- #14 of 18 in this guide · below Bronze Star Medal · above Meritorious Service Medal
The Purple Heart descends from the Badge of Military Merit that George Washington created in 1782 and was revived on the bicentennial of his birth, February 22, 1932. It bears Washington’s profile and is one of the most widely recognized American decorations. August 7 is observed as Purple Heart Day.
From Wikipedia
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, which took the form of a heart made of purple cloth, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York.
Excerpt from “Purple Heart” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable recipients
- John F. Kennedy1917–1963 · World War II
- John McCain1936–2018 · Vietnam War
- Kurt Vonnegut1922–2007 · World War II
- Douglas MacArthur Medal of Honor too1880–1964 · Korean War
- John Kerry1943 · Vietnam War
- Charles Bronson1921–2003 · World War II
- John Ford1894–1973 · World War II
- Colin Powell1937–2021 · Gulf War
- George S. Patton1885–1945 · Mexican Border War
- Oliver Stone1946 · Vietnam War
- Lee Marvin1924–1987 · World War II
- James Garner1928–2014 · Korean War
- Bob Dole1923–2021 · World War II
- Chuck Yeager1923–2020 · World War II
- Art Carney1918–2003 · World War II
Images: medal (Public domain, USAF); ribbon (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
