Posted on Aug 8, 2025
75 Years Later, Purple Hearts Made for an Invasion of Japan are Still Being Awarded
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The decoration, which goes to troops wounded in battle and the families of those killed in action, had been only one of countless thousands of supplies produced for the planned 1945 invasion of Japan, which military leaders believed could last into 1947.
Fortunately, the invasion never took place. All the other implements of that war --- tanks and LSTs, bullets and K-rations --- have long since been sold, scrapped or used up, but these medals struck for their great grandfathers’ generation are still being pinned on the chests of young soldiers.
Fortunately, the invasion never took place. All the other implements of that war --- tanks and LSTs, bullets and K-rations --- have long since been sold, scrapped or used up, but these medals struck for their great grandfathers’ generation are still being pinned on the chests of young soldiers.
75 Years Later, Purple Hearts Made for an Invasion of Japan are Still Being Awarded
Posted from historynewsnetwork.org
Purple Heart
WWII World War Two
Military History
American History
Japan
Posted 6 mo ago
Responses: 5
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This speaks to the death and devastation expected if Japan had to be invaded. May we never get to the point where that excess is exhausted.
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Sgt Jim Belanus
many times My father in law would tell me of being on a ship going around Okinawa when the bomb announcement was made. I imagine that most troops on that ship would not have had the long life that he enjoyed.
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SSgt Richard Kensinger
just submitted an article to be published on Research Gate on these attacks based on witnesses on the ground who are impacted
rich
rich
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1SG Lyle Miller
Many years ago, Simulations Publications Inc (SPI) published a solitaire game about the Allied invasion of the Japanese homeland. As opponents for those games are hard to find in my area, I have played "Operation Olympic" fairly often. The victory condition for the American player is to keep casualties under 1,000,000. The best result I have ever achieved is 750,000 casualties. It is no wonder we are still awarding those medals 80 years after the planned invasion.
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Can you imagine a million casualty campaign? Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers did.
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I am so grateful we did not have to invade. It would have been so much worse for both the Japanese and the Allies.
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