This Day in History: <br />George Washington Creates <br />the Purple Heart August 7, 1782 As commander in chief of the Continental Army, <br />Washington created the "Badge for Military Merit." Made from purple silk and designed <br />in the shape of a heart, the badge was<br /> presented to three soldiers for their <br />service in the Revolutionary War. The decoration was forgotten for <br />decades until 1927, <br />when General Charles P. Summerall <br />attempted to revive the badge. On February 2, 1932, <br />the U.S. War Department instituted <br />the "Order of the Purple Heart." Adding to Washington's design, <br />the Purple Heart also contains a bust of <br />Washington and his coat of arms. Today, the decoration is <br />bestowed upon soldiers <br />who have been killed <br />or wounded in action.
