Page 6 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2020- Online Magazine

History of the
History of Military Decorations
The practice of awarding medals
for military service dates back
centuries. The ancient Egyptians
gave out the “Order of the Golden
Collar” and later the “Order of the
Golden Fly.” The Roman Empire
was known for bestowing awards
on their brave soldiers for acts of
valor. Countries around the world
followed suit.
History of the U.S. Purple Heart
The origin of what we know today
as the Purple Heart was created on
August 7, 1782, by order of George
Washington, Commander-in-Chief
of the Continental Army. The
Badge of Military Merit consisted
of a purple, heart-shaped piece of
silk with a narrow binding of silver
6 Senior Link
Purple Heart
by Larry A. Williams
Veterans Liaison Co-Chair
Texas South Plains Honor Flight
and the word Merit stitched across Purple Heart, established by
the front and was to be given Gen. George Washington at
for “any singularly meritorious Newburgh, New York August
action”. It was awarded to only 7, 1782, during the War of the
three known soldiers during the Revolution, is hereby revived
Revolutionary War: Daniel Bissell, out of respect for his memory
Jr., William Brown and Elijah and military achievements.”
Churchill. The names were put into Up until 1942, the award
the Book of Merit. This book was was exclusively an Army
lost and largely forgotten. decoration. President Franklin
D. Roosevelt expanded it to
In 1931,General Douglas include Navy, Marine Corps
MacArthur took up the cause and Coast Guard members
to reinstate the medal. On serving in WWII. President
Washington’s 200th birthday, Harry S. Truman retroactively
February 22, 1932, the U.S. War awarded Purple Hearts to WWI
Department announced the creation veterans of all services.
of the “Order of the Purple Heart.”
This oldest, American military Number of Purple Hearts
decoration is awarded to members Awarded by Conflict
of the U.S. armed forces who • The Revolutionary War: 3
have been killed or wounded in •
action against an enemy. It is also WWI: 320,000
awarded to soldiers who suffered • WWII: 1,000,000
as prisoners of war (POWs). •
Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic Korean War: 118, 600
specialist, was chosen to design the • Vietnam War: 351,000
resurrected award, which became
known as the Purple Heart. In • Persian Gulf War: 607
May 1931, the Commission of Fine • War in Afghanistan: 12,000+
Arts selected the design of John R. •
Sinnock of the Philadelphia Mint. Iraq War: 35,000
The War Department announced The Order of Precedence
the new award on February 22,
1932 as follows: “By order of the All military awards are
President of the United States, the arranged into what’s called