FReeper Canteen ~ The Purple Heart Established 235 Years Ago ~ 07 August 2017

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The Whole World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ The FReeper Canteen Presents ~

The Purple Heart Medal … 235 Years Old!

Canteen Mission Statement

Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

President Trump awarded a Purple Heart to Army Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos on April 22 at Walter Reed Military Medical Center. Barrientos was wounded last month in Afghanistan and lost part of his right leg.

The Purple Heart is an American decoration-the oldest military decoration in the world in present use and the first American award made available to the common soldier. It was initially created as the Badge of Military Merit by one of the world's most famed and best-loved heroes-General George Washington. The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration.

General Washington is often pictured as a cold, stern soldier, a proud aristocrat. Yet we know he showed sympathy and concern for his troops, and was not too proud to pray humbly on his knees for his beloved country and for the men who served it, and him, so bravely and loyally. His keen appreciation of the importance of the common soldier in any campaign impelled him to recognize outstanding valor and merit by granting a commission or an advance in rank to deserving individuals.

In the summer of 1782 he was ordered by the Continental Congress to cease doing so-there were no funds to pay the soldiers, much less the officers!

Deprived of his usual means of reward, he must have searched for a substitute. Shortly after receiving the "stop" order from Congress, he wrote his memorable General Orders of August 7, 1782, which read in part as follows:

"The General, ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers as well as foster and encourage every species of military merit, directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings, over his left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk edged with narrow lace or binding. Not only instances of unusual gallantry but also of extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any way shall meet with due reward. The name and regiment of the persons so certified are to be enrolled in a Book of Merit which shall be kept in the orderly room." The order further states: "Men who have merited this distinction to be suffered to pass all guards and sentinels which officers are permitted to do. The order to be retroactive to the earliest stages of the war, and to be a permanent one."

Washington ended his order with: "The road to glory in a patriot army and a free country is thus open to all."

Link here

After 150 years of disuse, The newly rediscovered description of the Badge of Merit from Washington's General Orders provided General John J. Pershing with an inspiration for a new decoration for “lesser" acts. In 1921, as the Army Chief of Staff, Pershing began organizing the revival of Washington's Badge. His effort was continued by his successor, General Charles Pelot Summerall.

After becoming the Army Chief of Staff, General Douglas MacArthur finalized the renewal of the nation's oldest military decoration in 1932, just in time for the 200th Anniversary of Washington's birth.

MacArthur named the new award the "Purple Heart," rather than the Badge of Military Merit, and changed the definition of meritorious service to include combat wounds.

On February 22, 1932, the U.S. War Department created the Purple Heart decoration in the shape of a rich purple heart bordered with gold, with a bust of Washington in the center and Washington’s coat-of-arms at the top.

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 8, 2007) - When Gen. George Washington created the Purple Heart Medal in 1872, he probably never envisioned it would be so huge. Literally.

Artist Roger Baker mowed a 1,000-foot long rendition of the medal, covering 850,000 square feet, into a field at Thomas Bull Memorial Park in Hamtonburgh, N.Y., near the town where the first awards were presented to Revolutionary War Soldiers. Mr. Baker said his creation is a "gift of art" to the American public.

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Please remember that The Canteen is here to support
and entertain our troops and veterans and their families,
and is family friendly

[luvie]

God Bless all our
injured heroes!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Mac, for the Missing Man Setting as we remember those who have given their all that we may gather safe and secure.

[radu]

Howdy, LUV!

How’d your day go? Rested up from the trip home?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...did a storm find you? Thunder and lightning?

Still pretty warm here today, but I think I’ve finally got the fans in the right places. It’s still 80 at my desk, but not unbearable like the last few days. Now I just have to finish watering the lawns.

[radu]

Hey there, Kathy.

We had some rain this afternoon and the second round looked really ominous as it closed in on us. Turned out not to be too bad - - no lightning with it but it was windy and we got a good dose of rain.

I thought we were going to get more tonight but it’s scooting just under us right now. Drat! Rain chances are high for tomorrow, though, so we could get lucky.

Glad you’re getting a bit of a handle on the heat at last. Obviously it didn’t rain today since you’re watering the lawn. Any chances for rain soon to help cool things off?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Doesn’t get better. d:o) Hurrah for a fantastic day. d:o)

[luvie]

It was a good...but hot, hot, HOT....day and I have been tired all day! LOL!

Sorry I waited so long to answer...I was moving pictures from one place to another and it takes time. Also putting some of the newer pictures on Dulcie’s digital picture frame and that took a LOT of time! LOL!

How was your day and weekend? Is it still pleasantly cool there? Wish it was here...or I wish I was still in WY. :)

[luvie]

I cannot for the life of me understand how people make those huge pictures in fields without making a major goof up! LOL!

Hope today has been quiet on the home front!

[radu]

LOL! I figured it would be a drastic change from WY’s temps and would probably hit like a ton o’ bricks. That kind of heat will do that.

Bet you had a bunch of pix to play with but hey, it was something you could do inside, in the COOL. :-)

Not so pleasantly cool today but not as hot as it was a couple of weeks ago. It’s that humid though. It was a sauna today but we finally got a little rain to cool things off.

[radu]

boom

[luvie]

You did it! WOOOHOOOOO!!

I totally forgot about it. I think I'm out of practice. LOL!

This is just one scene that I'm missing!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, Dapper 26, and we thank you for your service to our country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, FrdmLvr, and we thank your Dad for his service to our country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Luv....recovered a bit from your trip?

Thank you for the tribute to our Purple Heart recipients.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Maybe some rain Tuesday and Wednesday....I hope, I hope.

[luvie]

You’re welcome!

I have a bit. Getting sleepy now though, even after a very nice nap this afternoon.

[luvie]

I’m glad the rain reduced the temp and the humidity! I can hear thunder occasionally now, and there are lots of rain cells around. Not sure if we’ll get any, but at any rate it’s supposed to be cooler tomorrow. I hope so....the 96 of today about did me in. LOL

Guess I’d better so. I’m sinking fast! See ya tomorrow!

[radu]

I just happened to notice when I posted and went for it. I figured you were sitting there waiting to pounce. LOL!

Ooooh MAN! What a gorgeous scene! Yeah, leaving that behind for the flat desert had to be hard. Almost as hard as leaving the kids and grandkids.

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, LUV W. Raining with some thunder here in Comanche OK. How's it going for you this morning?

[radu]

I hope you can get rain then too. You need it.
Are there problems with large wildfires up there this year? Last year was just terrible.