[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12924-12925]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING PURPLE HEART DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SHELLEY BERKLEY

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 12, 2011

  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, today I urge my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing Purple Heart Day.
  On August 7, 1782, General George Washington issued an order 
establishing the Honorary Badge of Distinction, otherwise known

[[Page 12925]]

as the Badge of Military Merit or the Decoration of the Purple Heart.
  The Purple Heart bears the profile of George Washington, the man who 
led our country through the Revolutionary War and eventually became the 
nation's first President.
  The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the 
United States to members of the armed forces who are wounded in 
conflict with an enemy force, or while being held by an enemy force as 
a prisoner of war, and may also be awarded to the next of kin of 
members of the Armed Forces who are killed in conflict with an enemy 
force, or who die of a wound received in conflict with an enemy force.
  The Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit is our oldest 
military decoration.
  Purple has always been a symbol of royalty and it is fitting that we 
award the Purple Heart to our wounded heroes, those American military 
members who have bravely served their country and risked their lives to 
secure our freedom. I want to thank all veterans for their bravery on 
behalf of the United States of America. I am personally inspired by the 
selfless service and devotion of the veterans who have fought for our 
nation.
  The United States of America honors the service men and women who on 
distant fields of death gave their life blood for their country, not 
forgetting warriors of yesteryear or those still in Iraq or 
Afghanistan, today.
  As the Representative for Nevada's First Congressional District, it 
gives me immense pride to recognize August 7 as the anniversary of the 
Purple Heart award, and as Purple Heart Day. Today is a day to reflect 
and take great pride in being Americans. We must never forget the 
sacrifices all veterans have made in the name of freedom.

                          ____________________