Awards of
World War IIThe Purple Heart Medal was established to award soldiers and officers of the United States Armed Forces who died or were seriously wounded by enemy fire.
Materials
Bronze, gold plated, enamel.
Artist
John Sinnock.
Award recipient
Any member of the US military.
Reasons for awarding
Death by enemy fire, as well as a serious wound received as a result of combat.
According to the regulations, this medal is awarded to members of all branches of the armed forces who are killed, seriously wounded, or die from wounds received by enemy fire. The regulations do not apply to wounds or deaths resulting from friendly fire, self-inflicted wounds, or incidents unrelated to combat.
The Purple Heart Medal was first awarded to General Douglas MacArthur on July 21, 1932.
A similar distinction, the Purple Heart, was established in 1782 by President George Washington. The Purple Heart medal acquired its current form in 1932, in honor of the bicentennial of the birth of the first US president. The Purple Heart medal consists of a gold-plated, heart-shaped medallion with an enamel center and a relief image of George Washington in military uniform. At the top is the Washington family coat of arms, with ears of grain bordering the medallion. A ring extends from the coat of arms, which attaches the award to a purple moiré ribbon with white stripes along the edges. The reverse of the medal bears the inscription "FOR MILITARY MERIT" and space for the engraving of the recipient's name.