On April 7, 1782, George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit in order to reward those in the military who performed singular meritorious actions. But for unknown reasons following the Revolutionary War, the award had “broken service” and was not presented to anyone for approximately 150 years. However, it was redesigned in the 20th Century and is now known as the Purple Heart. One example of the Purple Heart is displayed at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Speller of Windsor, N. C. The medal was issued in 1967 in honor of my cousin Ronnie Speller who died while serving in the Vietnam War.
The medal was accepted in his honor by his parents upon the return of his body and now hangs proudly in a showcase on the wall of their living room. The medal itself contains an enameled, elongated purple heart shape within a bronze border, 35mm wide, containing a bronze profile of General George Washington in Continental uniform. The profile is surmounted by an enameled Washington coat of arms in full color between green leaves. The reverse consists of a slightly raised bronze heart, without enamel and with the inscription, For Military Merit, followed by the name James R. Speller.
The medal is suspended on a thick purple ribbon with narrow white edges that measures roughly 35mm by 35mm. (“U. S. Army veteran medal description,” n. d. ). General George Washington’s original Badge of Military Merit was a piece of purple cloth cut into the shape of a heart and was to be worn on the left side of the chest. On January 7, 1931, however, General Douglas MacArthur decided to rework a new design for the Badge of Military Merit. (“Purple Heart,” 2015) Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic specialist in the Office of the Quartermaster General, was named to redesign the award using general specifications that were provided to her.
The Washington Commission of Fine Arts requested plaster models of the proposed medal from three leading sculptors and selected that of John R. Sinnock of the Philadelphia Mint in May 1931. (“Purple Heart,” 2015) About the Badge of Military Merit, George Washington stated, “Let it be known that he who wears the military order of the purple heart has given of his blood in the defense of his homeland and shall forever be revered by his fellow countrymen. ” Washington ended his order with: “The road to glory in a patriot army and a free country is thus open to all. “Purple Heart,” 2015) The Badge of Military Merit was awarded to Sargent Daniel Bissell because he posed as a deserter and acted as a spy on British troops. It was awarded to Sargent William Brown for his gallantry during a siege against British redcoats. It was also awarded to Sargent Elijah Churchill for his heroism in two raids conducted by Continental soldiers against the British. The award fell into disuse following the Revolution and was not proposed again officially until after World War I.
On October 10th, 1927, Army Chief of Staff General Charles P. Summerall directed that a draft bill be sent to Congress “to revive the Badge of Military Merit. ” For reasons unclear, the bill was withdrawn and action ceased on the case until on January 7th, 1931, Summerall’s successor, General Douglas MacArthur reopened work on a new design. The Purple Heart’s modernization from the inactive Badge of Military Merit makes it the oldest military award that is still given to members of the U. S. military and differs from all other decorations because an individual is not “recommended” for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria.
Approximately 1. million veterans have received Purple Hearts like the one given to Ronnie since the resurgence in 1932. Part of the reason for this large number is that during World War II some 1,506,000 Purple Hearts were made for the war effort in preparation for the invasion of Japan but only about 1,011,000 were distributed. An organization now known as the “Military Order of the Purple Heart,” was formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of those who received the decoration. Composed exclusively of Purple Heart recipients, it is the only veterans service organization comprised strictly of “combat” veterans.
The most purple hearts awarded to one person is nine and one person has received this named Albert L. Ireland who was wounded nine times during his 12 years of service. The next highest number of Purple Hearts to be awarded to one person is eight and six U. S. Army soldiers share that distinction: Richard J. Buck, Robert T. Frederick, David H. Hackworth, Joe Hooper, Robert L. Howard, William L. Russell, and William Waugh. No record survives of the identity of the first individual to receive the revived and redesigned Purple Heart.
One source says that Edward C. Morse was the first recipient of the newly redesigned Purple Heart as it was awarded posthumously because he was killed aboard the USS Arizona during the bombings of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. While another source says that after turning the badge into a medal Douglas MacArthur recommended the criteria to receive the award be changed to include those wounded in combat retroactive to World War I and having been injured in battle, MacArthur was able to receive the first Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is now awarded to veterans that have been wounded in any action by the enemy or from friendly fire in response to enemy hostilities.
It is also awarded posthumously to a soldier who is killed or dies from wounds acquired in action. As of 2008 it is also awarded to those who died or were injured in captivity as prisoners of war prior to World War I. If the veteran is unable to personally accept the award, then it is presented to the next of kin in their honor. If the recipient is still an active duty serviceman or servicewoman than he or she is required to wear all medals and awards on their service uniform (aka dress blues, army greens, etc. ).
If the recipient is a retired or discharged veteran, the awards received during their service are ormally kept in a wood or glass showcase in either the recipients house or the next kin will honor them in their home if they have passed away. My cousin, James Ronald Speller, better known as “Ronnie,” was 18 years old when he decided that he did not want to continue school and enlisted in the Army in February of 1967. Six months later he was on his way to Vietnam as a part of Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Division of the US Army in Vietnam. In November 1967, the North Vietnamese Army (also known as NVA) was determined to rid the Central Highlands of American forces.
As a response to the Vietnamese Army buildup the Americans launched Operation “MacArthur”, with the 4th Infantry Division assuming operational control over the 173rd Airborne Brigade. The 173rd Airborne Brigade fielded the 1st, 2nd and 4th Battalions of the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, and supporting units such as the 335th Aviation Company. On November 18th, 1967, Captain Harold J. Kaufman the Charlie Company commander of the 2nd Battalion 503rd Infantry, received word over the radio that he would be leading an assault on Hill 875.
Before Hill 875 was assaulted, the 173rd had already sustained 79 killed in action and 287 wounded, Alpha Company had been reduced to 85 men left in the field. On November 19th, the 173rd’s 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, led the assault of Hill 875. Companies Charlie and Delta started up the hill at 9:43 a. m. , with Alpha Company providing rear security; “the two up and one back” formation that has been utilized since World War I. Charlie and Delta Company soon found themselves absorbing small-arms fire and grenade attacks from seemingly every direction.
“Jesus, they were all over the place,” one paratrooper recalled. The noncoms (noncommissioned officers] kept shouting, ‘Get up the hill, get up the goddamn hill. ‘ But we couldn’t. We were surrounded, and we were firing in all directions. ” Before Alpha Company could begin to aid Delta and Charlie Company, the NVA began to launch 82 millimeter mortar rounds that were impacting around Alpha Company. It is believed that Ronnie died around this time but within the chaos of the battle and the terrain of the Vietnam Jungle, he was listed as missing in action for a short period of time until they could account for everyone and identify and record those lost.
Abandoned weapons, helmets, rucksacks, clothing, canteens and empty ration containers littered the battlefield. “The acrid odor of decaying and rotting flesh combined with the smells of vomit, feces, urine, blood, gunpowder and napalm etched itself permanently into the memories of those who were on Hill 875,” Edward F. Murphy wrote in Dak To: America’s Sky Soldiers in South Vietnams Central Highlands. For the bravery and sacrifices of its paratroopers around Dak To, the 173rd earned the Presidential Unit Citation.
The single deadliest day of Dak To was November 19th, when 83 Americans were killed including Ronnie, and 110 wounded according to the after-action report. Of the 3,200 paratroopers from the 173rd deployed to Dak To, 27% were either killed (208) or wounded (645). The 173rd’s rifle companies sustained some 90% of the unit’s casualties. Ronnie’s body was later recovered and cause of death was recorded as being from mine shrapnel. For his bravery and sacrifice, Ronnie was awarded a Purple Heart that was accepted in his honor by his parents and siblings upon presentation.
It is now kept in a dark wood showcase that hangs above the mantle, next to a folded flag, in his parent’s living room. Since the award has been available for over 235 years, it cannot represent a specific time period. But since the award was created by the chief of the Continental Army who eventually became the President of the United States, it shows how highly he thought of the three men he presented the award to during the Revolutionary War and that he thought they deserved more recognition for the meritorious actions they showed throughout the war.
This award was and still is one of the highest honors a serviceman or servicewoman can obtain, though it does not do justice to repay those for their sacrifices. When there is a large increase in the demand for this award (i. e. World War II) it shows how brutal the battle must have been for such an increase. I chose this artifact because although Ronnie was just one piece to the puzzle of the Vietnam War, he is my piece, he died long before I was born but his mother still talks about him like he never left, like he was with her only a few hours before.
His sacrifice influenced the rest of my family’s life, whether it was directly or indirectly, the Purple Heart he received was not enough to repay for his loss of life but it is an appropriate token of respect from the U. S. Army. The Purple Heart is ranked within the top 20 out of all of the U. S. military medals in order of precedence directly behind the Bronze Star. For someone in my family to be brave enough to receive one of these high ranking awards, it is an honor to share the same blood as the blood that was shed on Hill 875.