‘For Wounds Received in Action’: The History of the Purple Heart Medal

August 7 is National Purple Heart Day, which honors those who died or were wounded in the line of duty against an enemy. Today’s post comes from Thomas Richardson, an archives technician at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Many of the U.S. military awards and decorations are received for service, wartime … Continue reading ‘For Wounds Received in Action’: The History of the Purple Heart Medal

Recognizing Service: How to Determine Entitlement to Medals

Today’s post comes from Thomas Richardson, an archives technician at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. It is part of a series on records at the National Personnel Records Center. Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces can be beautifully complex and informative. New awards are established, and existing ones … Continue reading Recognizing Service: How to Determine Entitlement to Medals