Thank you for your service...
The Purple Heart was instituted in 1932 and is retroactive to 5 April 1917; however, awards for qualifying prior to that date have been made.
This honorarium is warded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or to any civilian national of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Forces, since 5 April 1917 has been wounded, killed, or who has died or may die of wounds received from an opposing enemy force while in armed combat or as a result of an act of international terrorism or being a Prisoner of War.
This honorarium is warded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or to any civilian national of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Forces, since 5 April 1917 has been wounded, killed, or who has died or may die of wounds received from an opposing enemy force while in armed combat or as a result of an act of international terrorism or being a Prisoner of War.
Here's an article on the background of the award:
When I was a kid growing up we had a WW 2 vet in the neighborhood that had received 3 Purple Hearts, and I guess all 3 of them could've sent him home if had so wanted. When someone asked him once why did he stay on when he didn't have too, he answered "because they needed me" Pretty well sums up the whole generation
ReplyDeleteGreat story. They certainly were a different breed...
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