The Purple Heart Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aims to provide wide-ranging support to honorably charged military veterans, including recipients of the Purple Heart. Among the recipients of the Purple Heart are approximately 500 women, a number that unfortunately makes up only a small percentage of the total medal recipients. In an article on its website, the Purple Heart Foundation cast a light on this disparity in an effort to ensure female service members get the credit they deserve.
The Purple Heart recognizes US service members who have been wounded or killed while in combat, as well as those who have experienced the same outcomes as a result of terrorist attacks. The history of the medal dates back to the days of George Washington who in 1782 awarded a purple heart-shaped decoration, then called the Badge of Military Merit, to three Continental soldiers.
The honor quickly fell into disuse and was not presented again until 1932, when General Douglas MacArthur revived the Purple Heart for Army personnel. Beatrice Mary MacDonald, an Army nurse who lost her right eye in World War I, received the honor retroactively in 1936, making her the first women to be awarded the honor.
The criteria for the Purple Heart was expanded during World War II to include service members from all military branches. Another nurse, Lieutenant Annie G. Fox, received a Purple Heart for her performance during the Pearl Harbor attack in the brief period when meritorious service was also a criterion.
Over the years, additional female Purple Heart recipients have included Antoinette Scott, a member of the DC Army National Guard who experienced life-threatening injuries while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Another veteran of the second Iraq war who received the honor, Marlene Rodriguez, has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of her service, conditions she still experiences today.
According to the Purple Heart Foundation, there are likely many women who qualify for the honor but have not been awarded it. To ensure these deserving women—as well as candidates of other genders—are no longer delayed their rightful honor, the organization encourages all service members and veterans who think they may qualify to apply.
Female Veterans and the Purple Heart Medal: A Brief History
