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

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My sister co0nfided to me afterwards that the Host said to her:

“I can’t believe she’s hanging in there, staying in time, and not kicking him off the stage! Your sister’s a real “badass””

[luvie]

Uh-oh. Yes, you will cease to be her favorite person tomorrow. For a little while.:)

Any rain sounds wonderful! :)

[luvie]

You are tough. Drunk or not, you showed him who was d’ boss! :)

[left that other site]

I later performed some solo stuff, and went home early on my bike, alone, in the dark, with only a T-Shirt (and pants, of course).

It was so hot even at 10:00PM that I was not even chilly.

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One of our “crowd”, Cowboy Larry, was in a big motorcycle accident and is going to be hospitalized for at least six months. Could Y’all say a prayer for him? (He is even older than I am, so his bones are probably going to take a long time to heal.)

[radu]

Yes, she’ll have a mad on for a while but she should get over it quickly enough. She’s such a happy-go-lucky lil girlie.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...still blowing and an occasional drop of rain.

No sun, but hot and icky. Fans running. Trying to sit in the living room and relax, but my laptop decided it couldn’t connect to the internet. Finally up and running. Eating and freeping with my feet up.

Not too crazy today, but really busy. I have so many things on my list for the “off” week, but not enough hours. LOL!

Any break in the weather for you? Back forgiven you for Saturday’s work?

[Kathy in Alaska]

In first....The Mayor grabs the gold!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

OOPS!!!

And in second....The Mayor snags the silver!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

In first....2111USMC grabs the gold!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And rounding out the top three....Luv bags the bronze!!

[luvie]

Ooooo....thank you, Kathy! I never figured I was here THAT early. LOL!

[radu]

Ugh! Hot and icky is no fun when you don’t have A/C to cool and help dry the air inside. I feel for ya.

Still quite hot and icky here. We had a brief heavy rain shower this afternoon but the sun came right back out and turned the area into a sauna.

Glad they didn’t throw a bunch of monkey wrenches into the works today, as they seem to enjoy doing.
Now if you could just master astral projection, there’d be two of you to get your work caught up. LOL!

Yes, my back has recuperated from Saturday, as much as it ever recuperates. :-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...once again you prove your ability to endure less than stellar “help”.

Glad there were others to see your abilities.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers of peace and healing for Cowboy Larry.

Fight On!!

[luvie]

left that other site: "One of our “crowd”, Cowboy Larry, was in a big motorcycle accident and is going to be hospitalized for at least six months. Could Y’all say a prayer for him? (He is even older than I am, so his bones are probably going to take a long time to heal.)"

Indeed, prayers up for your friend to have a full recovery from his extensive injuries!

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Thanks, Kathy!

(((HUGS)))

[left that other site]

Thanks...I really appreciate that. :-)

[radu]

Prayers up for Cowboy Larry!

[left that other site]

Thanks, radu!