When is Purple Heart Day?

Monday August 7th

On August 7th, Purple Heart Day honors the establishment of the country's oldest military decoration for military achievement. The Purple Heart honors both men and women who are members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. During the American Revolutionary War, the Badge for Military Merit awarded six known soldiers.

#purpleheartday

In 1782, General George Washington created the Badge of Merit... For "any singularly meritorious act," Washington intended the award to soldiers. A purple, heart-shaped piece of silk tied with a thin strip of silver was included in Its' design. The word Merit was embroidered in silver across the face. No one knows who created the award, although the badge represented the courage and sacrifice of an American Patriot.

The Purple Heart persisted as a Revolutionary War footnote long before Washington's 200th birthday. The Order of the Purple Heart was created by the US War Department in response to General Douglas MacArthur's efforts. Today the medal bears a bust of George Washington and his coat of arms.

Although a complete and detailed list of names exists, National Geographic recently reported that nearly 1.9 million service members have earned Purple Hearts since its inception. Service members are still being honoured by the United States military honor today, which is the oldest U.S. military award bestowed on service members today. The Purple Heart acknowledged service members' commendable conduct as well until 1944. Then in 1944, the conditions were limited to only those who were wounded or killed in combat.