Purple Heart Medal
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 5 April 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 National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York.
The Purple Heart was one of the first military medals given to all ranks
In the years before 1782, when the Purple Heart’s predecessor, the Badge of Military Merit, was first created, most military awards were only given to officers who had secured grand victories in battle, not lower-ranking soldiers.
The Badge of Military Merit, now known as the Purple Heart, was truly a military medal by the people, of the people: it was one of the first awards in military history that could be given to lower-ranking, enlisted soldiers or non-commissioned officers for their outstanding service.