Purple Heart for Army and Air Force
With attachments and devices for Army and Air Force.
Instituted: 1932
Criteria: Awarded to any member of the U.S. Armed Forces killed or wounded in an armed conflict.
Notes: Wound Ribbon appeared circa 1917-18 but was never officially authorized. (Army used Wound Chevrons during World War I.) Instituted: 1932 Criteria: Awarded to any member of the U.S. Armed Forces killed or wounded in an armed conflict. The Purple Heart was made retro-active to include those wounded in World War I. The first recipient of the Purple Heart was General Douglas MacArthur.