Abbott remembers 'extraordinary heroes' on Purple Heart Day

Gov. Greg Abbott took to Twitter to honor Purple Heart Day, a day to acknowledge and remember the sacrifices of the military.

The United States has celebrated this day since 1782.

“On this #PurpleHeartDay, we honor the extraordinary heroes who were wounded or lost their lives in defense of our great nation—the greatest force for freedom the world has ever known,” Abbott wrote on Twitter. “We are forever grateful for all who serve and for the families who stand by their side.”

A military person earns a purple heart if they are wounded or died during combat.

“Many ask if we won these conflicts and were they worth it,” Alexander Deraney wrote in a veteran column for VCStar. “When we consider that the strategic objective of these operations was the prevention of the harboring of terrorists to prevent another large-scale attack on American soil, the report card is pretty good. The question is will we continue our support of veterans with an end to major combat operations?”

Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic specialist in the Office of the Quartermaster General, designed the current version of the purple heart medal, branding George Washington’s likeness, for his bicentennial birthday.

Eligibility for the medal changed over the years.

“During World War II, the medal was changed into a recognition of combat injuries and deaths,” NPR reported. “Over time, the military has further modified the award, adding different types of injuries and different types of combat. For instance, soldiers wounded in acts of terrorism now qualify for the Purple Heart, as do soldiers injured in friendly fire.”

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor approximates more than 1.8 million medals have been given to service members since George Washington presented the first batch during the Revolutionary War.

For more information about the purple heart, visit the Military Order of the Purple Heart website.