The Purple Heart Medal of the Second World War

An original and quite rare medal in very good collector's condition. Bronze, enamel, gilding. The medal is equipped with an original case and two medical spangles. Guarantee of authenticity.

The Purple Heart is a U.S. military medal awarded to all American military personnel who have died or been injured as a result of enemy actions. The Purple Heart sign was installed by George Washington in 1782. Officially, only three such awards were awarded, and it was no longer used until 1861. Initially, it was made simply from silk cloth, which was stretched over a silver heart-shaped bracket. In 1861, the U.S. Congress decided to establish the Medal of Honor, which thus became the highest distinction in the country only because there were no orders in the United States. The medal was made of gold in the form of a five-pointed star with a trefoil at the ends of its rays. Because of this, the Purple Heart was in second place in importance. The modern Purple Heart Medal was created on February 22, 1932, by a directive signed by the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, Douglas MacArthur, in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. It was stamped from tin covered with purple enamel. Until 1942, the Purple Heart was awarded only to members of the U.S. Army. At first, awards were made for military merit, and a combat wound was also regarded as a merit. Since 1943, the medal has been awarded exclusively for combat wounds. After the Korean and Vietnam wars, the Purple Heart was given to every seriously wounded person without much ceremony, simply according to the appropriate hospital lists.