Purple Heart

Purple Heart. . , The Purple Heart is an American military decoration awarded in the name of the President of the United States to members of the Armed Forces wounded in combat, or posthumously to the next of kin for those killed or who die of wounds received in action. , The Purple Heart is one of the oldest military decorations in the world in present use. It is the first American award made available to the common soldier. It was initially created by General George Washington during the American Revolution. On August 7, 1782, General Washington issued an order as follows: "The General, ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers as well as foster and encourage every species of military merit, directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings, over his left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk edged with narrow lace or binding." General Washington also stated, "Let it be known that he who wears the military order of the purple heart has given of his blood in the defense of his homeland and shall forever be revered by his fellow countrymen." The Badge of Military Merit was only awarded to three Revolutionary War soldiers and fell into disuse following the War of independence. Although never abolished, the award of the medal was not proposed again officially until after World War I. , The Purple Heart as we know it today was reestablished in 1932 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic specialist in the Office of the Quartermaster General, was named to redesign the newly revived medal which became known as the Purple Heart. The award is a heart-shaped medal within a gold border containing a profile of General George Washington. Above the heart appears a shield of the coat of arms of Washington (a white shield with two red bars and three red stars) between sprays of green leaves. The reverse consists of a raised bronze heart with the words FOR MILITARY MERIT below the coat of arms. As with other combat medals, multiple awards of the Purple Heart are denoted by stars by the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, and by oak leaf clusters by the Army and Air Force.