Purple Heart Research Paper

The history of the purple heart goes all the way back to the revolutionary war. Although it wasn’t called the purple heart, George Washington had established the badge of military merit, then established by the commander-in-chief of the continental army by the order from Newburgh, New York headquarters on august 7,1782. Although the badge of military merit was only awarded to three revolutionary war soldiers it was never abolished but it was not proposed again until October 10,1927. Army chief of staff general Charles Pelot Summerall put in a draft bill to receive the badge of military merit, a few months later on January 3,1928 the bill was withdrawn and all actions on the case ceased but the adjutant general instructed to keep all files for
Just about 100 civilian men and women received the purple heart, the most famous to receive the purple heart is newspaper reporter Ernie Pyle who was awarded the awarded later after being killed by Japanese machine gun fire in 1945. The most recent civilians who received the purple heart was in 1996, about 40 civilian who were injured/killed after the terrorist attack at khobar tower. However in 1997 congress passed legislation prohibiting civilians toe receive the purple heart in the future only men and women in the military may receive
As of June 2010 there has been more than 1,900,000 purple heart given to Marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen. The purple of heart is the oldest award still given. The first badge of military merit was awarded on may 3,1783 to sergeant Elijah Churchill. In 1780 Churchill successfully led a attack on the British forces and destroyed a British supply fort and took 300 prisoners a year later he was the only one wounded in a successful raid on the British stronghold on long island. The modern Purple heart medals first recipient in 1932 is unsure because so many were given out for so many months and across the nation with and without ceremonies but Douglass Macarthur ordered his purple heart to be number one but there are no records to prove