What is Purple Heart Day?
On August 7th, Purple Heart Day honors the establishment of the oldest American military decoration for military achievement. The Purple Heart honors the men and women who are members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. The Badge for Military Merit of the American Revolutionary War honors six known soldiers.
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In 1782, General George Washington created the Badge of Merit. For "any singularly meritorious act," Washington intended that the award be given to soldiers. Its creation featured a purple, heart-shaped piece of silk tied with a thin strip of silver, as shown in the illustration. The word Merit was embroidered in silver across the face. No one knows who created the award, although the badge represented the courage and sacrifice of an American Patriot.
The Purple Heart persisted as a Revolutionary War footnote until Washington's 200th birthday. The Order of the Purple Heart was created by the US War Department in response to General Douglas MacArthur's efforts. A bust of George Washington and his coat of arms is among the medals on display today.
Although an extensive and complete list of names doesn't exist, National Geographic recently reported that nearly 1.9 million service members have earned Purple Hearts since its inception. It is the oldest U.S. military award bestowed on service members today, and it is the first U.S. military honor bestowed on service members today. The Purple Heart acknowledged service members' commendable conduct as well as their service members' commendable conduct until 1944. Then in 1944, the conditions limited the award to only those who were wounded or killed in combat.
