When discussing the Purple Heart we often find the meaning of courage is intertwined with it. The wearers of the Purple Heart are those who have shed their blood in the service of our country. In doing so they have held certain ideals sacred: duty, honor, and commitment.
Everyone should remember in their hearts the tremendous sacrifice of our fellow countrymen. For those among us who are combat veterans, the memories run deep across several generations. World War II, the Vietnam War, and the more recent conflicts of the past thirty years have produced countless grave markers in our nation’s cemeteries. They represent the courage and sacrifice of so many.
For many recipients of the Purple Heart it represents an event that changed their lives. Though some veterans have said they were just reacting in the moment, all have agreed they were involved in honorable service, committed to what they were doing without hesitation. I get teary-eyed when I think of it: such powerful examples of patriotism.
The origins of the Purple Heart date back more than 225 years ago. George Washington first awarded the medal to three Revolutionary War soldiers on August 7th, 1782. At that time it was called the “Badge of Military Merit.” Though never abolished, President Hoover reinstated this discontinued metal on Washington’s 200th birthday, February 22 1932, as the Purple Heart.
Over one million Purple Heart medals were awarded during World War II alone; the sacrifice reached into the families of so many Americans. Hundreds of thousands of additional medals were awarded in subsequent wars, right up to the present.
The Purple Heart is unique from most other medals in that one is not “recommended” for the medal, but rather is “entitled” to it upon meeting certain criteria. Chief among these is that one has been wounded or killed while serving in any capacity in the US Armed Forces.
When encountering someone who has been wounded in the service of our country, we should all extend to that person our most grateful thanks. We should always remember those vetrans answered our country’s call, putting their lives on the line to keep all of us safe.
We should all find a moment in our lives to take time to say a special prayer for those who have served and are still serving our country. God bless them one and all. – Sam Rawlins
(Mr. Rawlins is a Vietnam War veteran and the author of A Return to Meadow Wood and Young Lincoln of New Salem. Both are available in paperback, hard cover, and e-book from Amazon and Barnes & Noble)