Did you know today is Purple Heart day?

2015-08-07T09:03:13-04:00

The Medal of Honor that is now the Purple Heart actually began as the ‘Badge of Military Merit.’ On August 7th, 1782 in Newburgh, New York, General George Washington designed a new badge of distinction for enlisted men and noncommissioned officers. They were awarded for ‘any singularly meritorious action.’ The badge was a figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding. It was pinned to a uniform coat above the left breast. That was then, this is now.

On January 7th of the year 1931, a new design was reopened. Ms. Elizabeth Will, an army heraldic specialist in the Office of the Quarter, created the design sketch for the present medal of the Purple Heart. It consists of a purple enameled heart within a bronze quarter inch border showing a relief profile of George Washington in continental uniform. Washington’s family coat of arms adorns the medal, along with an inscription inside the heart that reads, ‘For Military Merit.’

The Purple Heart is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces that has been wounded or killed, died as a result of a wound in battle, or otherwise designated by the President of the United States. This now includes those persons killed as a result of friendly fire. Now we celebrate Purple Heart Day on the anniversary of its inception, August 7th. On this day it is our patriotic duty to remember and recognize those people willing to serve our country, no matter the price.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Aug 7 at 2015 9:09 AM

2015-08-07T09:09:16-04:00

Well I guess I will have to wear my PH hat today!
Best to all of my fellow PHers today.
I will raise a glass of Bourbon @ 18:00 hrs today.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 7 at 2015 11:00 AM

2015-08-07T11:00:41-04:00

Definitely one medal I could've done without.
Quick story:
I was packing to go to Iraq on vey short notice in 2004. My wife was "helping" me pack. After a while, her attention started to wander and she was looking at the Order of Precedence poster I had on the wall in my "Army Stuff" room. She started asking me if I had various medals and if the answer was yes, what it was for. Then her eyes settled on the Purple Heart.
"Ohhh, this one is pretty. What is this one?"
"The Purple Heart".
"Oh. Don't you get one of those for getting shot?"
"Or killed", I say.
"You don't need one of those. Promise me you never will."
"I can't promise that, but there are three of them up there I could go my whole career and never get and that would be just fine with me. The Purple Heart. POW Medal (Definitely don't want it). And the Antarctica Service Medal."
"What about the Medal of Honor? Don't you have to die to get that?"
"Not always, but often. I like to think that if I ever found myself in that kind of situation, I would do the right thing."
She hugs me, and I left the next day.
Less than a month later, I was lying on a gurney being treated after a very rough day. It was my first call home, and she was excited to hear from me, until she heard the pain in my voice.
"Are you OK?"
"Been better. Got hurt pretty bad today... but two out of three isn't bad, right...?"