The Purple Heart medal was originally established by General George Washington on August 7, 1782 at Newburgh on the Hudson, New York as an award for outstanding military merit. The decoration was in the form of a cloth badge and only three non-commissioned officers received the Order at that time: Sergeant Daniel Bissel, of the Second Connecticut Regiment of the Continental Line; Sergeant Daniel Brown, of the Fifth Connecticut Regiment of the Continental Line, and Sergeant Elijah Churchill, of the Second Continental Dragoons, also a Connecticut regiment. Though never officially abolished, it was not again awarded for almost one hundred and fifty years. On February 22, 1932, the two hundredth anniversary of George Washington’s birth, it was re-instituted by Congress as an award to officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel, male or female, of the United States Armed Forces who were or are wounded or killed as a direct result of enemy action, on or after April 5, 1917, the day before the U.S. entered World War I.
The criteria for receiving the Purple Heart medal were announced in a War Department circular dated February 22, 1932, and authorized award to soldiers, upon their request, who had been awarded the Meritorious Service Citation Certificate, Army Wound Ribbon, or were authorized to wear Wound Chevrons subsequent to April 5, 1917. During the early period of American involvement in World War II, the Purple Heart was awarded both for wounds received in action against the enemy and for meritorious performance of duty. With the establishment of the Legion of Merit on October 29, 1942, the practice of awarding the Purple Heart for meritorious service was discontinued.
On 13 June 1985, the precedence of the Purple Heart award changed from immediately below the Achievement Medals to its current position immediately above the Meritorious Service Medals. Additional awards of the Purple Heart are denoted by bronze (1 per award) or silver (5 additional awards) oak leaf clusters for the Army, Air Force, and Space Force, and by gold (1 per award) or silver (5 additional awards) 5/16 inch stars for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.