8 Military Honors Beyond the Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is the oldest and arguably most famous military award in the U.S. Its origins stretch back to 1782 and the Badge of Military Merit — a heart made of purple cloth — which became the modern Purple Heart in 1932. The medal is awarded to U.S. military service members who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action. In total, more than 1.8 million Purple Heart medals have been presented.
However, it’s far from the only military decoration in the U.S. In fact, the U.S. military maintains an extensive system of honors and awards. There are more than 100 decorations, including medals, service ribbons, ribbon devices, and specific badges, recognizing various forms of service, valor, achievement, and dedication. These acknowledge everything from the highest acts of heroism in combat to meritorious service in peacetime operations.
Let’s take a look at some of the most prestigious and notable U.S. military decorations. Each one, in its own way, recognizes the exceptional service and sacrifice displayed by members of the armed forces — and in some cases, civilians.
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest medal for valor in combat that can be awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces. While the Purple Heart is awarded to U.S. military service members who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action, the Medal of Honor is for acts of extraordinary valor. Created in 1861, the medal recognizes the bravest of the brave. Since its inception, more than 3,500 service members have received the Medal of Honor. Only 19 have received it twice — five of those recipients were Marines with Army units who received both the Army and Navy versions of the medal, and 14 others received it for separate acts of supreme valor.
The recommendation process for receiving the Medal of Honor can be complex, taking more than 18 months as it passes up the chain of command. It’s ultimately approved or disapproved by the president of the United States, who personally awards the medal.
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Service Crosses
The Service Crosses represent the second-highest level of military decorations for valor, honoring extraordinary acts of heroism in action against an enemy. The crosses come in three variations: the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross, the Air Force Cross, and the Navy Cross. The Navy Cross is awarded to members of both the Navy and the Marine Corps, as well as members of the Coast Guard when operating under the authority of the Department of the Navy.
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration. It is awarded for displaying gallantry while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States. This decoration recognizes acts of valor that, while extraordinary, do not quite meet the criteria for the Medal of Honor or Service Crosses.
Distinguished Service Medals
The Distinguished Service Medal is a family of awards, with separate versions for the different branches of the military, as well as a version for the Department of Defense (the Defense Distinguished Service Medal). Unlike the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross, which is awarded only for heroism in combat, the Distinguished Service Medal is also awarded for noncombat services — officially described as “exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility.”
Bronze Star
The Bronze Star is given for acts of heroism, acts of merit, or meritorious service in a combat zone. When awarded specifically for acts of valor, the metal is decorated with a “V” device. Civilians can receive the Bronze Star as well. For example, the war reporter Joseph Galloway received the award for heroically rescuing a badly wounded soldier while under fire during the Vietnam War. Ernest Hemingway was also awarded the Bronze Star for his service as a war correspondent during World War II. Within the hierarchy of military awards, the Purple Heart is ranked immediately behind the Bronze Star.
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is awarded to members of the armed forces for “exceptionally outstanding conduct in the performance of meritorious service to the United States.” When it was established in 1942, the Legion of Merit was the first U.S. decoration created to honor both American service members and citizens of other nations. To this day, it is given to foreign officials of high rank or foreign military advisers for services to the United States.
Distinguished Flying Cross
The Distinguished Flying Cross, created in 1926, is America’s oldest military aviation award. The medal is awarded to any officer or enlisted person of the armed forces for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. The first Distinguished Flying Cross medal was presented by President Calvin Coolidge to Charles Lindbergh on June 11, 1927, in recognition of the aviator’s solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
Air Medal
The Air Medal was created during World War II, partly as an effort to boost morale among U.S. Army Air Force crews during the dark days of the war. It was meant to recognize actions that were “meritorious” but did not reach the level of “heroism or extraordinary achievement” required to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The Air Medal’s reward criteria have shifted considerably over the years, with the medals awarded for service during World War II often regarded as particularly significant due to the extreme dangers faced during the conflict.
