Purple Heart

The Purple Heart (of English: purple heart) is a American Médaille military, decreed in name of the President of the United States of America, granted to the people wounded or killed with the service of the American army after the April 5th 1917.

Appearance

The medallion is a heart of color violet inside a edge of Or. A portrait of profile of the general George Washington is in the center. With the top of the heart is the armorial bearings of Washington . Back is a bronze heart engraved of the words “ FOR MILITARY MERIT ”. The ribbon is broad of 1,375" (34,925 mm) and consists of three bands: 0,125" (3,175 mm) white 67101; 1,125" (28.575 mm) purple 67115; and 0,125" (3,175 mm) white 67101.

History

The original Purple Heart , indicated as the Badge of the Military Merit, is founded by the general George Washington. It is the August 7th 1782 which an order of its general headquarter with Newburgh (New York), officializes the medal. Following the revolution, it is not used any more and other rewards are created.

At the time of the bicentenary of the birthday of George Washington (1932), the President of the United States of America re-establishes Purple Heart by decree the February 22nd 1932.

Criteria

Conditions of attribution

Purple Heart differs from the other American medals. The individuals “are not recommended” to receive decoration, the person is designated when it is killed or wounded in a way described by AR 600-8-22:

In action against an enemy of the United States of America
In action with an adverse armed force of a foreign country in which the army was or is committed
While being used at the side as foreign forces friendly committed in an armed conflict against an adverse armed force in which the United States of America do not form part of the belligerents
Of the act of an enemy of an adverse armed force
Of the act of a hostile foreign force
After the March 28th 1973, of an international terrorist attack against the United States of America or a friendly foreign nation of the United States of America, recognized as such an attack by the Minister for the department concerned, or jointly by Ministers for the departments concerned so of the people of more than one department are wounded or killed at the time of the attack
After the March 28th 1973, of military operations, while being useful apart from the territory of the United States of America within the framework of a gripping force of peace.
After the December 7th 1941, by firearm while being directly engaged in an armed conflict, whatever the “fire” causing the wound.
While being retained as a prisoner of war or being maintained in captivity.

A “wound” can touch any part of the body. A physical lesion is not necessary. However, the wound for which the medal is allotted must have required a treatment of official medical. A recording of the care must be made in an official way.

The individuals wounded or killed by a “friendly fire” in the “heart of a battle” see themselves granted Purple Heart since the “friendly” projectile was drawn with the intention to inflict damage or to destroy troops enemies or equipment.

Examples of attributions

Examples of wounds inflicted by the enemy who justifies clearly the attribution of Purple Heart are:

Wound caused by a ball, glare of shell or another projectile created by the enemy.
Wound caused by a mine or an enemy trap.
Wound caused by chemical agents, biological or nuclear enemy.
Wound caused by an accident of vehicle or plane resulting from enemy fire.
Commotions caused by enemy explosions.

Examples of refusal

Examples of wounds of combat which do not allow not the attribution of Purple Heart are:

To develop a handicap related to the service, such as the post-traumatic syndrome of stress, of the months or the years after having engaged the enemy in combat.
To suffer from environmental wounds in a zone of combat, such gelures or sunstrokes.
To be wounded at the time of a mission related to the combat without being in direct contact with the enemy forces. An example would be to fall and to break a leg at the time of a patrol or to be wounded at the time of an accident of vehicle while crossing a road through a zone of combat.
Physical handicap indirectly related to the combat with the enemy. For example the hearing impairment after being rammed by enemy artillery.
a wound with the combat when the person shelters or beats a retreat. For example a soldier, under enemy fire, jumps in a hole and blowpipe a bone.
a wound voluntarily inflicted by another allied soldier. For example to be reached by a drawn ball deliberately by another soldier combined following a brawl.
To be wounded by the enemy by negligence of his duty. For example to go intentionally in a field marked of mines or to expose themselves to fire in the desire to be wounded or killed. These cases are often difficult to determine, the definition of negligence being opened with interpretation.
Any autoinfligée wound, even if it is during the combat with the enemy. If it is given that it is in the “heart of the battle”, as to be wounded by its own combat weapon with naked hand, Purple Heart can be authorized. This clause exists mainly for those which are voluntarily wounded in order to avoid their duty of combat or seek to be evacuated of a danger zone.

See too

:Category: Member elect of Purple Heart

External bond

the military order of Purple Heart

Random links: