08/07/2026
💜National Purple Heart Day💜
In 1782, during the Revolutionary War, military awards were almost exclusively reserved for high-ranking officers. General George Washington wanted to break this class-based tradition.
On August 7, 1782, at his headquarters in Newburgh, New York, he issued an order establishing the Badge of Military Merit:
"The General ever desirous to cherish a virtuous ambition in his soldiers...directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action shall be performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his left breast... a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding."
After the Revolutionary War ended, the Continental Army disbanded, and the Badge of Military Merit was largely forgotten. No new awards were issued, and the award lay dormant through the War of 1812, the Civil War, and World War I.
It wasn't until the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth in 1932 that General Douglas MacArthur (then Army Chief of Staff) revived the award. It was officially redesigned into the purple enamel and gold-plated heart with Washington’s profile that we recognize today and renamed the Purple Heart.
When revived in 1932, the medal was awarded BOTH for exceptional merit and for combat injuries. However, during World War II, the Purple Heart was officially redefined exclusively for service members wounded or killed in action by enemy forces.
Facts:
💜Since 1932 - 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded
💜Army Nurse Cordelia "Betty" Cook received the Purple Heart in 1944 for her brave service after being wounded during a bombing raid in Italy. She was the first woman to be awarded this high honor.
💜The Youngest Recipient - Calvin Graham. He lied about his age to enlist in the U.S. Navy during WWII and was wounded during the Battle of Guadalcanal. He was 12 years old.
