The Purple Heart Medal is a military medal awarded to services members who are killed or wounded in the line of duty due to belligerent action by a hostile foreign force. Its criteria have changed over the years, but through it all, the medal has been earned by right of being wounded. The Purple Heart is a direct descendent of the Army’s Badge of Military Merit, an award designated by George Washington while he was commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in New York. The badge was a heart cut from purple cloth that was affixed to a soldier’s uniform.
After World War I, there was a movement to reinstate the Badge of Military Merit, and, after years of study, the new Purple Heart Medal was authorized by the War Department in 1932. The medal was granted to soldiers wounded in battle during World War I to supplement the various wartime citations already earned under then-current regulations.
The Purple Heart Medal is one of the most attractive medals awarded by the US Military, and its design harkens back to its origins under General Washington. A purple ribbon with white borders suspends the medal itself. The medal is gold heart containing a purple cameo that features the profile of George Washington facing the center of the wearer’s body. Where the ribbon meets the medal is George Washington’s personal coat of arms, three red stars over two red bars on a shield of white. The reverse side of the medal also has the coat of arms, along with a spray of leaves, and the words, “For military merit.”
Recipients of the Purple Heart Medal include Audie Murphy, President John F. Kennedy, Senator John McCain, General Colin Powell, writer Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and director Oliver Stone, and many other former soldiers.
