Today is Purple Heart Day, when we honor all those from the Revolutionary War onwards who received this award for being wounded during their patriotic military service to our country.
The Purple Heart is America’s oldest military honor, established by George Washington on August 7, 1782, even before the Constitution was written, which is why the award features Washington’s face. Many hundreds of thousands of soldiers across many of our conflicts have been recognized with the award since then, with some heroes receiving the award more than once. All gave some, and some gave all.
Washington commissioned the award, which he called the Badge of Military Merit, to be in “the figure of a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding.” This original award did not carry over from the Revolutionary War, however, and was not used again until the 20th century and the years following World War I. Douglas MacArthur, then Army chief of staff, officially re-established the Purple Heart award in 1932 and ordered its present design.
For Our VIPs: Purple Hearts and the WWII Atom Bomb: A Life-Saving Master Weapon
According to Military.com:
Exactly who is eligible to receive a Purple Heart has been expanded or reduced over time. For example, from 1942 to 1997, some non-service members serving with the military such as Red Cross workers or civilian government employees were eligible to receive the Purple Heart.
An estimated 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded to U.S. troops.
Purple Heart Day is celebrated on the anniversary of Washington establishing the original Badge of Military Merit.
National Purple Heart Honor Mission Board Chairman Jeremy McVey said, “The Purple Heart is often described as the one award no one wants to receive, but they couldn’t be more proud to wear.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued his statement in conjunction with his assistant and spokesman Sean Parnell, a Purple Heart recipient. Parnell said, “A grateful nation never forgets its heroes, its triumphs, or its pain. Recipients of the Purple Heart award put their bodies and souls on the line for this great country. During those quiet moments when the flag waves at half mast, we remember not just the medals pinned to their chests, but the scars etched into their stories.”
Today, we honor the 1.8 million heroes who have been awarded the Purple Heart.
Their bravery will never be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/UQXI9YSJ8j
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) August 7, 2025
He added, “They are the best among us, because they inspire the best within us. And so on this Purple Heart Day, we honor them, not with empty words, but with a promise to build a nation worthy of their sacrifice, where every citizen stands a little taller because they showed us how. So take a moment to thank a veteran, fly the flag, or simply pause in gratitude.”
You might have heard of the “Purple Heart Battalion,” which received that nickname because of the number of military decorations its soldiers received for their outstanding courage during World War II. They were the 100th Infantry Battalion, made up of Japanese-Americans who had to face a great deal of prejudice and persecution at the beginning of the war because of their ethnicity. They proved how mistaken that prejudice was by their exceptional service.
The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs explains:
It would eventually gain the unofficial nickname of the “Purple Heart Battalion” and — along with another Japanese-American combat unit, the 442nd Infantry Regiment — would go on to fight in Europe earning themselves the titles of the most decorated American units of World War II.
Today, we honor all of the Purple Heart awardees of all ethnicities and backgrounds who shared two things in common: their patriotism and their courage.
Please support PJ Media’s efforts to highlight our nation’s heroes. Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT for 60%.
