Origins of Military Order of the Purple Heart

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The mission of the Military Order of the Purple Heart is to foster an environment of goodwill and camaraderie among combat wounded veterans, promote patriotism, support necessary legislative initiatives, and most importantly, provide service to all veterans and their families.

Members are combat wounded veterans who are dedicated to our country and our veteran community. They endeavor to do better for each other and by each other always.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart of the U.S.A., Inc. (MOPH) was organized in 1932 and chartered by Congress in 1958. Headquartered just outside Washington, D.C., it has a membership of approximately 45,300 veterans. The MOPH is comprised exclusively of military men and women who received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in combat or by an act of international terrorism, while serving as a member of the U.S. military. Although their membership is restricted to the combat wounded, they support all veterans and their families with a myriad of nationwide programs by chapters and national service officers.

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, which took the form of a heart made of purple cloth, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members. The only earlier award is the obsolete Fidelity Medallion. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York.

The original Purple Heart, designated as the Badge of Military Merit, was established by George Washington (then the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army) by order from his Newburgh, New York, headquarters on Aug. 7, 1782. The Badge of Military Merit was only awarded to three Revolutionary War soldiers by Washington himself. Washington authorized his subordinate officers to issue badges of merit as appropriate. Although never abolished, the award of the badge was not proposed again officially until after World War I.

On Oct. 10, 1927, Army Chief of Staff General Charles Pelot Summerall directed that a draft bill be sent to Congress “to revive the Badge of Military Merit.” The bill was withdrawn and action on the case ceased Jan. 3, 1928, but the office of the Adjutant General was instructed to file all materials collected for possible future use. A number of private interests sought to have the medal reinstituted in the Army; this included the board of directors of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum in Ticonderoga, New York.

On Jan. 7, 1931, Summerall’s successor, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, confidentially reopened work on a new design, involving the Washington Commission of Fine Arts. 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. Using general specifications provided to her, Will created the design sketch for the present medal of the Purple Heart. The new design, which exhibits a bust and profile of George Washington, was issued on the bicentennial of Washington’s birth.

The Commission of Fine Arts solicited plaster models from three leading sculptors for the medal, selecting that of John R. Sinnock of the Philadelphia Mint in May 1931. By executive order of the president of the United States, the Purple Heart was revived on the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth, out of respect to his memory and military achievements, by War Department General Order No. 3, dated Feb. 22, 1932.

The criteria were announced in a War Department circular dated Feb. 22, 1932, and authorized award to soldiers, upon their request, who had been awarded the Meritorious Service Citation Certificate, Army Wound Ribbon, or were authorized to wear Wound Chevrons subsequent to April 5, 1917, the day before the United States entered World War I. The first Purple Heart was awarded to Gen. MacArthur.

During the early period of American involvement in World War II (Dec. 8, 1941-Sept. 22, 1943), the Purple Heart was awarded both for wounds received in action against the enemy and for meritorious performance of duty. With the establishment of the Legion of Merit, by an Act of Congress, the practice of awarding the Purple Heart for meritorious service was discontinued. By Executive Order 9277, dated Dec. 3, 1942, the decoration was applied to all services; the order required reasonable uniform application of the regulations for each of the services. This executive order also authorized the award only for wounds received. For both military and civilian personnel during the World War II era, to meet eligibility for the Purple Heart, AR 600–45, dated Sept. 22, 1943, and May 3, 1944, required identification of circumstances.

After the award was reauthorized in 1932, some U.S. Army wounded from conflicts prior to the first World War applied for, and were awarded, the Purple Heart. Veterans of the Civil War and Indian Wars, as well as the Spanish-American War, China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion), and Philippine Insurrection also were awarded the Purple Heart. This is because the original regulations governing the award of the Purple Heart, published by the Army in 1932, provided that any soldier who had been wounded in any conflict involving U.S. Army personnel might apply for the new medal. There were but two requirements: the applicant had to be alive at the time of application (no posthumous awards were permitted) and they had to prove that they had received a wound that necessitated treatment by a medical officer.

Subject to approval of the Secretary of Defense, Executive Order 10409, dated Feb. 12, 1952, revised authorizations to include the Service Secretaries. Dated April 25, 1962, Executive Order 11016, included provisions for posthumous award of the Purple Heart. Dated Feb. 23, 1984, Executive Order 12464, authorized award of the Purple Heart as a result of terrorist attacks, or while serving as part of a peacekeeping force, subsequent to March 28, 1973.

On June 13, 1985, the Senate approved an amendment to the 1985 Defense Authorization Bill, which changed the precedence of the Purple Heart award, from immediately above the Good Conduct Medal to immediately above the Meritorious Service Medals. Public Law 99-145 authorized the award for wounds received as a result of friendly fire. Public Law 104-106 expanded the eligibility date, authorizing award of the Purple Heart to a former prisoner of war who was wounded after April 25, 1962. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105-85) changed the criteria to delete authorization for award of the Purple Heart to any non-military U.S. national serving under competent authority in any capacity with the Armed Forces. This change was effective May 18, 1998.

During World War II, 1,506,000 Purple Heart medals were manufactured, many in anticipation of the estimated casualties resulting from the planned Allied invasion of Japan. By the end of the war, even accounting for medals lost, stolen or wasted, nearly 500,000 remained. To the present date, total combined American military casualties of the 70 years following the end of World War II (including the Korean and Vietnam Wars) have not exceeded that number. In 2000, there remained 120,000 Purple Heart medals in stock. The existing surplus allowed combat units in Iraq and Afghanistan to keep Purple Hearts on hand for immediate award to soldiers wounded in the field.

Part two of three on the MOPH will follow this column.

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By Harold B. Wolford

Veterans Corner

Harold B. Wolford is president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1095. He served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1973. Wolford can be reached via email at [email protected].

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