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Purple Heart

United States military decoration

Key facts

Type: Military medal
Awarded for: Being wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces
Description: Obverse profile of George Washington
Presented by: United States Department of the Army United States Department of the Navy United States Department of the Air Force United States Department of Homeland Security
Eligibility: Military personnel
Status: Currently awarded
First award: 22 February 1932
Total: Approximately 1,910,162 (as of 5 June 2010)
Total awarded posthumously: Approximately 430,000
Total recipients: over 2,000,000 (including eligible casualties in World War I who may not have been awarded the Purple Heart)
Next higher: Bronze Star Medal
Next lower: Defense Meritorious Service Medal

via Wikipedia infobox

Article

The Purple Heart (PH) 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.

History