John Hall: “National Purple Heart Recognition Day is August 7, 2007. This year, we celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Badge of…”

“National Purple Heart Recognition Day is August 7, 2007. This year, we celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Badge of Military Merit. This medal, the forerunner of the modern Purple Heart, was designed by GEN George Washington in his headquarters in Newburgh, New York, in the Hudson River Valley. The badge, given for ``any singularly meritorious Action,'' was the ``figure of a Heart in Purple Cloth or Silk edged with narrow Lace or Binding to be worn on the uniform coat above the left breast.'' After falling into disuse after the Revolutionary War, GEN Douglas MacArthur had a new medal designed based on the Badge of Military Merit. This medal, the modern Purple Heart, was awarded for meritorious action or for receiving a wound in combat with the enemy. Since that time, more than 1.5 million people have received the Purple Heart. These men and women sacrificed for our country. Many never came home. The Purple Heart recognizes their sacrifice and their service protecting the rights and liberties we enjoy at home. National Purple Heart Recognition Day serves to remind the country of those who have suffered injury or death in the defense of our country. It is always right to remember and honor those who have sacrificed, and this resolution encourages Americans to learn more about the history of the Purple Heart and its recipients.”