Purple Hearts have been awarded to roughly 1.5 million U.S. service men and women wounded or killed in combat in locations such as the beaches of Normandy, the jungles of Vietnam, and now, increasingly, in Iraq and Afghanistan.  President Washington ordered the creation of the Purple Heart’s predecessor, the Badge of Military Merit, on Aug. 7, 1782.  The award, given for exceptional performance, inspired the introduction of the Purple Heart in 1932. The Purple Heart was later restricted to those “wounded in action against any enemy” starting in World War II.  Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 28,552 service members have been wounded and 3,245 killed in action and are eligible for the Purple Heart.  The Purple Heart is a military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed.

Learn about the Purple Heart Memorial

Learn more about the Purple Heart at wikipedia