Purple Heart Monument
Purple Heart Monument honors all those who were wounded in combat while serving in the United States military.
The Texas State Cemetery’s Purple Heart Monument was dedicated on September 20, 2003. It honors all Texans who earned the Purple Heart while serving in the United States military. It was erected by Military Order of the Purple Heart of Texas.
George Washington introduced the medal as the “Badge of Military Merit,” but it fell into disuse until it was reintroduced in 1932. It was reestablished as the Purple Heart award on the 200th anniversary of Washington’s birth.
In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an executive order which stated the Purple Heart was to be awarded to persons who “are wounded in action against an enemy of the United States, or as a result of an act of such enemy, provided such would necessitate treatment by a medical officer.” While subsequent Presidents have amended who can be awarded the medal and in what type of action, it is still reserved for those wounded in combat.
Visit this Monument
See this monument by scheduling a guided tour through the Texas State Cemetery today.