On August 7, MJL will participate in the recognition of Purple Heart Day. This annual occasion marks an opportunity to remember and acknowledge recipients of the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is a military decoration that is given to service members who were killed our injured while in service to our country.
As one of the oldest military decorations received by United States military personnel, the Purple Heart has been given to roughly 2 million men and women who were injured or killed in the service of their country.
The original Purple Heart was known as the Badge of Military Merit, established by founding father and then-commander-in-chief George Washington on August 7, 1782. It is for this reason that Purple Heart Day is annually celebrated on August 7. The current design of the medal was created by Elizabeth Will in 1931, featuring a bust and profile of George Washington and was first issued on the bicentennial recognition of George Washington’s birth. At first, the medal could only be given to military members who were still alive, but the regulations were later expanded to allow for posthumous awards of the medal.
The Purple Heart serves to recognize the sacrifices these soldiers made to protect our country and the freedoms we hold dear. Of the surviving Purple Heart recipients, many of them have moved on from military careers and now participate in all facets of life in America, working and volunteering in communities across the country. For these Americans, the Purple Heart reminds them that they are not forgotten and that their sacrifice is appreciated by millions of Americans, both civilian and military.
For Purple Heart recipients that made the ultimate sacrifice and are no longer with us, the Purple Heart symbolizes their commitment to protecting America and its values and allows the loved ones they left behind to remember them for their bravery, courage, and commitment to duty.