Editor’s note: This the fourth in a series leading up to National Purple Heart Day on Aug. 7. On that day, Purple Hearts Reunited will return lost medals to eight military families. The ceremony will take place at Federal Hall in New York City, the same location where George Washington was sworn in as our nation’s first president on April 30, 1789. Read all eight of their stories.
On Nov. 29, 2004, Spc. Daniel J. Swift was traveling in a Humvee through Baghdad, Iraq, with fellow members of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment of the New York Army National Guard, when their vehicle was hit by an IED. Swift’s comrades, and fellow members of the New York Fire Department, Sgt. Christian Engeldrum and Pfc. Wilfredo Urbina, were both killed in the explosion.
Swift, a combat medic, quickly rushed to save the life of another soldier in the vehicle. For his life-saving efforts, Swift received the Bronze Star with V device and the Purple Heart.
Swift received his medals in a powerful ceremony in New York City. In the mob of people following the event, Swift’s medals were lost and never seen again. On Aug. 7, Purple Hearts Reunited will present swift with a new set of medals, famed to pass on to his children.
About the Purple Heart: The original Purple Heart, designated as the Badge of Military Merit, was established by George Washington – then the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army – by order from his Newburgh, New York headquarters on Aug. 7, 1782. The Badge of Military Merit was only awarded to three Revolutionary War soldiers by Gen. George Washington himself. Gen. Washington authorized his subordinate officers to issue Badges of Merit as appropriate.
Although never abolished, the award of the badge was not proposed again officially until after World War I. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, confidentially reopened work of a new design and by Executive Order of the President of the United States, the Purple Heart was revived on the 200th Anniversary of George Washington’s birth, out of respect to his memory and military achievements, by War Department General Order No. 3, dated Feb. 22, 1932. Today, the Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after April 5, 1917.
An estimated 1.8 Million Purple Hearts have been awarded in our nation’s history. Today, in addition to being awarded to those who fight overseas, the Purple Heart is also given to military personal who display bravery and valor as prisoners of war and while fighting certain types of domestic terrorism.