Department of the Army, DoD § 578.17

of lesser degree than required for the reverse has the inscription ‘‘Heroic or award of the . Meritorious Achievement.’’ The star is (2) Meritorious achievement and service. suspended by a rectangular-shaped loop Awards may be made to recognize sin- with corners rounded from a moired gle acts of merit and meritorious serv- silk ribbon 13⁄8 inches in length and 13⁄8 ice. The lesser degree than that re- inches in width, composed of stripes of quired for the award of the LM, must white (1⁄32-inch), red (9⁄16-inch), white nevertheless have been meritorious and (1⁄32-inch), blue (1⁄8-inch), white (1⁄32- accomplished with distinction. inch), red (9⁄16-inch), and white (1⁄32- (3) Awards may be made, by letter inch). A bronze block letter ‘‘V’’ 1⁄4 inch application to NPRC, 9700 Page Ave- in height with serifs at the top of the nue, St. Louis, MO 63132–5100 (Soldiers members is worn on the suspension and who retired or were discharged after service ribbons of the Bronze Star October 1, 2002 should send their re- Medal to denote an award made for quests to the Commander, U.S. Army heroism (valor). Not more than one Human Resources Command, St. Louis, ‘‘V’’ device will be worn. When one or ATTN: AHRC–CC–B, 1 Reserve Way, St. more oak-leaf clusters appear on the Louis, MO 63132–5200), enclosing docu- same ribbon the ‘‘V’’ device is worn on mentary evidence, if possible, to each the wearer’s right. (E.O. 9419, February member of the Armed Forces of the 4, 1944, 9 FR 1495) United States who, after December 6,1941, has been cited in orders or § 578.17 . awarded a certificate for exemplary (a) Criteria. The Purple Heart was es- conduct in ground combat against an tablished by General George Wash- armed enemy between December 7, 1941 ington at Newburgh, New York, on Au- and September 2, 1945, inclusive, or gust 7, 1782, during the Revolutionary whose meritorious achievement has War. It was reestablished by the Presi- been otherwise confirmed by docu- dent of the United States per War De- ments executed prior to July 1, 1947. partment General Orders (WDGO) 3, For this purpose, an award of the Com- 1932 and is currently awarded pursuant bat Infantryman Badge or Medical to Executive Order 11016, April 25, 1962; Badge is considered as a citation in or- Executive Order 12464, February 23, ders. Documents executed since August 1984; Public Law 98–525, October 19, 4, 1944 in connection with recommenda- 1984. Public Law 103–160, November 30, tions for the award of decorations of 1993; Public Law 104–106, February 10, higher degree than the Bronze Star 1996; and Public Law 105–85, November Medal will not be used to establish a 18, 1997. It is awarded in the name of basis for the award under this para- the President of the United States to graph. any member of the Armed Forces of (4) Upon letter application, award of the United States who, while serving the Bronze Star Medal may be made to under competent authority in any ca- eligible soldiers who participated in pacity with one of the U.S. Armed the Philippine Islands Campaign be- Services after April 5, 1917 who has tween December 7, 1941 to May 10, 1942. been wounded or killed, or who has Performance of duty must have been died or may hereafter die after being on the island of Luzon or the Harbor wounded: Defenses in Corregidor and Bataan. (1) In any action against an enemy of Only soldiers who were awarded the the United States. Distinguished (redesig- (2) In any action with an opposing nated the Presidential Unit Citation on armed force of a foreign country in November 3, 1966) may be awarded this which the Armed Forces of the United decoration. Letter application should States are or have been engaged. be sent to NPRC (see paragraph (a)(3) (3) While serving with friendly for- of this section). eign forces engaged in an armed con- (b) Description. A bronze star 11⁄2 flict against an opposing armed force inches in circumscribing diameter. In in which the United States is not a bel- the center thereof is a 3⁄16-inch diame- ligerent party. ter raised bronze star, the center line (4) As a result of an act of any such of all rays of both stars coinciding. The enemy of opposing armed forces.

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(5) As the result of an act of any hos- (ii) Injury caused by enemy placed tile foreign force. mine or trap. (6) After March 28, 1973, as a result of (iii) Injury caused by enemy released an international terrorist attack chemical, biological, or nuclear agent. against the United States or a foreign (iv) Injury caused by vehicle or air- nation friendly to the United States, craft accident resulting from enemy recognized as such an attack by the fire. Secretary of Army, or jointly by the (v) Concussion injuries caused as a Secretaries of the separate armed serv- result of enemy generated explosions. ices concerned if persons from more (5) Examples of injuries or wounds than one service are wounded in the at- which clearly do not qualify for award tack. of the Purple Heart are as follows: (7) After March 28, 1973, as a result of (i) Frostbite or trench foot injuries. military operations while serving out- (ii) Heat stroke. side the territory of the United States (iii) Food poisoning not caused by as part of a peacekeeping force. enemy agents. (b) While clearly an individual deco- (iv) Chemical, biological, or nuclear ration, the Purple Heart differs from agents not released by the enemy. all other decorations in that an indi- (v) Battle fatigue. vidual is not ‘‘recommended’’ for the (vi) Disease not directly caused by decoration; rather he or she is entitled enemy agents. to it upon meeting specific criteria. (vii) Accidents, to include explosive, (1) A Purple Heart is authorized for aircraft, vehicular, and other acci- the first wound suffered under condi- dental wounding not related to or tions indicated above, but for each sub- caused by enemy action. sequent award an will (viii) Self-inflicted wounds, except be awarded to be worn on the medal or when in the heat of battle, and not in- ribbon. Not more than one award will volving gross negligence. be made for more than one wound or (ix) Post traumatic stress disorders. injury received at the same instant or (x) Jump injuries not caused by from the same missile, force, explosion, enemy action. or agent. (6) It is not intended that such a (2) A wound is defined as an injury to strict interpretation of the require- any part of the body from an outside ment for the wound or injury to be force or agent sustained under one or caused by direct result of hostile ac- more of the conditions listed above. A tion be taken that it would preclude physical lesion is not required, how- the award being made to deserving per- ever, the wound for which the award is sonnel. Commanders must also take made must have required treatment by into consideration the circumstances a medical officer and records of med- surrounding an injury, even if it ap- ical treatment for wounds or injuries pears to meet the criteria. Note the fol- received in action must have been lowing examples: made a matter of official record. (i) In a case such as an individual in- (3) When contemplating an award of jured while making a parachute land- this decoration, the key issue that ing from an aircraft that had been commanders must take into consider- brought down by enemy fire; or, an in- ation is the degree to which the enemy dividual injured as a result of a vehicle caused the injury. The fact that the accident caused by enemy fire, the de- proposed recipient was participating in cision will be made in favor of the indi- direct or indirect combat operations is vidual and the award will be made. a necessary prerequisite, but is not sole (ii) Individuals injured as a result of justification for award. their own negligence; for example, (4) Examples of enemy-related inju- driving or walking through an unau- ries which clearly justify award of the thorized area known to have been Purple Heart are as follows: mined or placed off limits or searching (i) Injury caused by enemy bullet, for or picking up unexploded munitions shrapnel, or other projectile created by as war souvenirs, will not be awarded enemy action. the Purple Heart as they clearly were

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not injured as a result of enemy action, tween December 7, 1941 and September but rather by their own negligence. 22, 1943, may apply for award of an ap- (7) Members killed or wounded in ac- propriate decoration instead of the tion by friendly fire, 10 U.S.C. 1129. Purple Heart. (i) For purposes of award of the Pur- (f) For those who became Prisoners of ple Heart, the Secretary of the Army War during World War II, the Korean shall treat a member of the Armed War and after April 25, 1962, the Purple Forces described in paragraph (a) of Heart will be awarded to individuals this section in the same manner as a wounded while prisoners of foreign member who is killed or wounded in ac- forces, upon submission by the indi- tion as the result of an act of an enemy vidual to the Department of the U.S. of the United States. Army of an affidavit that is supported (ii) A member described in this sub- by a statement from a witness, if this section is a member who is killed or is possible. Documentation and inquir- wounded in action by weapon fire while ies should be directed to Commander, directly engaged in armed conflict, USA HRC (see § 578.3(c) for address). other than as the result of an act of an (g) Any member of the U.S. Army enemy of the United States, unless (in who believes that he or she is eligible the case of a wound) the wound is the for the Purple Heart, but through un- result of willful misconduct of the usual circumstances no award was member. made, may submit an application (iii) This section applies to members through military channels, to Com- of the Armed Forces who are killed or mander, USA HRC (see § 578.3(c) for ad- wounded on or after December 7, 1941. dress). Application will include com- In the case of a member killed or plete documentation, to include evi- wounded, as described in paragraph (b) dence of medical treatment, pertaining of this section, on or after December 7, to the wound. 1941 and before November 30, 1993, the (h) Description. On a purple heart Secretary of the Army shall award the within a bronze border, a profile head Purple Heart under provisions of para- graph (a) of this section in each case in relief of General George Washington which is known to the Secretary before in military uniform. Above the heart is such date or for which an application is a shield of General Washington’s coat made to the Secretary in such manner of arms between two sprays of leaves in as the Secretary requires. green enamel. On the reserve below the (c) A Purple Heart will be issued to shield and leaves without enamel is a the next of kin of each person entitled raised bronze heart with the inscrip- to a posthumous award. Issue will be tion ‘‘For Military Merit.’’ The entire 11 made automatically by the CG, USA device is 1 ⁄16 inches in length. The HRC, upon receiving a report of death medal is suspended by a rectangular- indicating entitlement. shaped loop with corners rounded from 3 (d) Upon written application to a moired silk ribbon 1 ⁄8 inches in NPRC (see § 578.16(a)(3)) award may be length and 13⁄8 inches in width con- made to any member of the Army, who sisting of a purple (pansy) center with during World War I, was awarded a white edges (1⁄8-inch). Meritorious Service Citation Certifi- cate signed by the Commander in § 578.18 Meritorious Service Medal. Chief, American Expeditionary Forces, (a) Criteria. The Meritorious Service or who was authorized to wear wound Medal was established by Executive chevrons. Posthumous awards to per- Order 11448, January 16, 1969 as amend- sonnel who were killed or died of ed by Executive Order 12312, July 2, wounds after April 5, 1917 will be made 1981. It is awarded to any member of to the appropriate next of kin upon ap- the Armed Forces of the United States plication to the CG, USA HRC (see or to any member of the Armed Forces § 578.3(c) for address). of a friendly foreign nation who, has (e) Any member of the Army who was distinguished himself or herself by out- awarded the Purple Heart for meri- standing meritorious achievement or torious achievement or service, as op- service under the following cir- posed to wounds received in action, be- cumstances:

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