FReeper Canteen ~ The Purple Heart Medal...236 Years Old! ~ 07 August 2018

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

[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ The FReeper Canteen Presents ~

The Purple Heart Medal … 236 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

[left that other site]

Thank you for your prayers for my friend.

[luvie]

Gotta bring out the Big Guns when someone is hurting!

[radu]

You’re welcome, ML. It sounds like he has a long, rough road ahead. :-(

[left that other site]

He is at MGH, which is considered one of the best hospitals in the world.

We made a big, giant card and everybody at the open mike signed it.

[luvie]

Awesome that he has the best care that there can be had. He’ll appreciate the card from “the gang”. :)

[left that other site]

What is amazing is the warmth and respect us “older folks” get from the young musicians in the area.

And...they play OUR music most of the time. It is as if the best music came from the 60’s and 70’s.

There’s been a lot of good stuff throughout the years, but people keep going back to the Beatles, The Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, etc.

[left that other site]

Hitting the sack now...it’s already tomorrow!

[Kathy in Alaska]

FReeper friend in need of prayers....

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3677109/posts?page=25#25

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sleep tight, ML...((HUGS))

[Jim Robinson]

Prayers up. God bless.

[radu]

Great that he’s at a great hospital. At least he’s in good hands. But that kind of wreck is hard enough for a younger person to recover from and he’s going to have his patience tried. He’ll be ready to get up-and-at-’em before his body is ready to comply. Prayers that it doesn’t take as long as they seem to think it will.

[MoochPooch]

Evening, Kathy! Heat advisory out here — I could use some Alaska summer.

[boatbums]

I’ll be praying for Cowboy Larry!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Mooch...sorry about the heat issue. Stay safe.

We are having hot days, too...altho not like yours. Lots of mid 70s. I have multiple fans running.

[Kathy in Alaska]

w h !!

Thanks, unique!

JimRob.....#50!!

[E.G.C.]

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

How's everyone this morning?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...did the plumber come and fix your clog? Hope so.

You and Gizmo have a good Tuesday.

[E.G.C.]

Not yet. I will call later today and check on that.

[radu]

Howdy, E.G.C.

Hope you and Gizmo had a good Monday at the lake. Looks like today might be iffy since rain is moving into the state.

Did your scanner arrive?

[E.G.C.]

It did and all of do surrounding counties as well as ours have been programmed into it. Just finished work on it an hour or so ago.

Programmed Stephens and Jefferson counties yesterday, then did all of the surrounding counties. This morning I went ahead and added Archer, Clay, Montague and Wichita in Texas.

Getting a few more channels coming in. The scanner mainly receives the local area but when the conditions are right it may get some more faraway places like the old one did.