History of the Purple Heart
From Aug. 7,1782,
The Purple Heart originated on Aug. 7,1782, when General. George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit. The award was established by Washington to honor soldiers and non-commissioned officers. Only three men are known to have received the badge which was only awarded during the Revolutionary War.
The modern-day Purple Heart was established on February 22, 1932 (George Washington’s birthday) for members of the U.S. Army by President Herbert Hoover. The award was intended for meritorious service, including being wounded by an enemy in battle. The 1932 criteria, unlike today's standards, did not allow posthumous awarding of the Purple Heart. But, the 1932 criteria did allow living former Army members dating back to the Civil War to apply for the medal, and nineteen Civil War veterans are known to have applied for and received the medal.
The Medal’s criteria changed again during WWII. In 1942, an executive order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt allowed the U.S. Navy to award sailors, Coast Guardsmen and Marines the Purple Heart. That same executive order also allowed posthumous awards retroactive to Dec. 6,1941, the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In 1952, President Harry S. Truman signed an executive order authorizing posthumous Purple Heart awards to Navy, Coast Guard or Marine Corps personnel killed on or after April 5,1917, the beginning of WWI. This executive order did not include Army and Air Force service members.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy again amended the criteria for awarding the Medal by authorizing issuance of the Purple Heart to military advisors who were wounded or killed while serving in South Vietnam as the U.S. was not in a declared war at the time. The 1962 executive order also authorized posthumous awards to all those killed on or after April 5,1917.
Other changes in the medal’s criteria have been authorized since the U.S. has been involved in the War on Terror to insure that our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines sacrifices are acknowledged.
No one knows how many Purple Hearts have been awarded as the Department of Defense does not maintain a roster. But, it is estimated that nearly two million service members have received the award including the seventy plus members of Amarillo’s Purple Heart Chapter 553
The modern-day Purple Heart was established on February 22, 1932 (George Washington’s birthday) for members of the U.S. Army by President Herbert Hoover. The award was intended for meritorious service, including being wounded by an enemy in battle. The 1932 criteria, unlike today's standards, did not allow posthumous awarding of the Purple Heart. But, the 1932 criteria did allow living former Army members dating back to the Civil War to apply for the medal, and nineteen Civil War veterans are known to have applied for and received the medal.
The Medal’s criteria changed again during WWII. In 1942, an executive order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt allowed the U.S. Navy to award sailors, Coast Guardsmen and Marines the Purple Heart. That same executive order also allowed posthumous awards retroactive to Dec. 6,1941, the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In 1952, President Harry S. Truman signed an executive order authorizing posthumous Purple Heart awards to Navy, Coast Guard or Marine Corps personnel killed on or after April 5,1917, the beginning of WWI. This executive order did not include Army and Air Force service members.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy again amended the criteria for awarding the Medal by authorizing issuance of the Purple Heart to military advisors who were wounded or killed while serving in South Vietnam as the U.S. was not in a declared war at the time. The 1962 executive order also authorized posthumous awards to all those killed on or after April 5,1917.
Other changes in the medal’s criteria have been authorized since the U.S. has been involved in the War on Terror to insure that our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines sacrifices are acknowledged.
No one knows how many Purple Hearts have been awarded as the Department of Defense does not maintain a roster. But, it is estimated that nearly two million service members have received the award including the seventy plus members of Amarillo’s Purple Heart Chapter 553