Purple Heart Day, observed on August 7, is a time for Americans to pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who were either wounded on the battlefield or paid the ultimate sacrifice. We here at Homes For Our Troops believe any day is a good day to say “Thank You” to those who have sacrificed so much. We want all Purple Heart Recipients to know they will never be forgotten by the American People.
In honor of Purple Heart Day, we would like to share some facts you may not know about the origins of the decoration:
- On Aug. 7, 1782, George Washington created the award (originally called the Badge of Military Merit) to give to Soldiers for any commendable action. It was only awarded to a few Soldiers during that time and forgotten about until it was reinstated on Washington’s 200th birthday, Feb. 22, 1932.
- Purple Heart Day was established in 2014 to honor and recognize those who have been awarded the decoration.
- The Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration still presented to service members.
- The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor estimates that 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been issued since it was re-established in 1932.
- It is believed that the award is purple because the color represents courage and bravery.
Read the stories of our HFOT Veterans who are Purple Heart recipients at www.hfotusa.org/Veterans.