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Purple Heart

The Purple Heart was instituted in 1782 by George Washington and is the first American decoration. Originally it was awarded for bravery in action, currently it is awarded to those wounded or killed in action, in the latter case posthumously.
An Oak Leaf Cluster is added when a previously wounded person already has a Purple Heart.
The decoration is a purple, heart-shaped badge with bronze edges. It depicts in relief a bust of George Washington wearing the uniform of a general in the Continental Army.
On the reverse side is the inscription: "For Military Merit" with the recipient's name below.
It is estimated that for World War II 1,076,245 Purple Hearts were awarded.

Grid List
NameDate of birthDate of deathAwards
Wabel, Lewis N. Jr. (USN)22-03-192624-10-2009
Wachtler, Elmer, J.  
Wadley, Cecil A. 26-02-1945
Wagner, Robert T. 06-04-1945
Wagner, Roger P. 06-03-1945
Wagner, William J. 07-06-1942
Wahlen, George Edward08-08-192405-06-2009more
Wai, Francis Brown14-04-191720-10-1944more
Walas, John 05-01-1945
Wald, Elmer W.14-06-191716-12-1944
Walk, Claude E. 09-08-2008
Walker, Archie L,05-12-191802-12-1993
Walker, Billy Landers01-01-192618-11-1944
Walker, Gordon Keith20-05-192107-11-1943
Walker, Kenneth Newton "Ken"17-07-189805-01-1943more
Walker, Leland A. "Sonny"  
Walker, Richard B.20-02-192117-12-1944
Walker, Robert, W.24-07-1908 
Wall, Carter W. 09-06-1944
Wall, Howard J.08-12-191708-02-1945
Wall, Robert, L.  
Wall, William, A.  
Wallace, Clifford,   
Wallace, Fred C. (Jr.) 19-07-1944
Wallace, Fred Clay 20-11-1943
Wallace, Fred J. 01-02-1946
Wallace, Fred Martin 14-05-1945
Wallace, Frederick L. 21-11-1943
Wallace, Herman Claudious12-06-192427-02-1945
Wallace, Jack B. 19-01-1945
Wallace, James Earl  
Wallace, Wendell, L.  
Wallace, William Jennings06-08-189507-07-1977more
Walls, Emmitt  
Walraven, Johnnie E.21-11-192225-06-2003
Walsh, John Edward10-11-191718-04-1945
Walsh, John, J.12-08-1916 
Walsh, William Bernard "Pawnee"13-11-192313-03-1945
Walsh, William Gary07-04-192227-02-1945
Walsh, William J. "Bill"30-01-192531-01-1945
Walsh, William P. "Knobby"27-04-1918 
Walton, Daniel, E.  
Walton, Merritt C.18-12-191607-08-1942more
Ward, Charles T. 01-12-1944
Ward, Glenn H.08-04-192030-01-1945
Ward, Harold Richard22-06-1917 
Ward, James Richard10-09-192107-12-1941
Ward, Joseph H.05-03-191805-04-1945
Ward, Richard Hayden09-10-192228-02-1945
Ward, Robert, B.  
Ware, Keith Lincoln23-11-191513-09-1968more
Ware, Warren,   
Wargo, Michael A.00-00-191611-04-1944
Warner, Henry Fred23-08-192321-12-1944
Warner, James, W.  
Warner, William, F.  
Warnock, Frank 18-01-1945
Warren, Samuel L.  
Warren, Shields, Jr.21-03-191626-01-1994more
Wartick, Donald, R.  
Washburn, Charles M.  
Washington, John P.18-07-190803-02-1943
Washko, Robert 20-09-1944
Wasielewski, Edward02-01-192007-12-1941
Waskow, Henry Thomas24-09-191814-12-1943
Waterfield, Ashley, C.  
Waters, James, D.  
Watkins, Martin D., Jr.  
Watson, George00-00-191508-03-1943
Watson, Robert, E.  
Watson, Russell 28-11-1944
Watson, Wilson Douglas "Jimmy"18-02-192119-12-1994
Watt, Thomas Frederick05-01-192217-12-1944
Watt, William T.15-12-192503-02-1945
Watts, Arlie  
Watts, Lewis  
Waugh, Robert T.16-01-191919-05-1944
Waxdahl, Selmer, A.  
Waybur, David Crowder29-09-191928-03-1945
Weasner, Harry, R.  
Weathers, James Lon14-03-192617-11-2007
Weathersby, Newton P. 06-06-1944
Weaver, Donald C.16-08-192519-09-1944
Weaver, Robert J. 01-12-1987
Webb, Clyde H. (Jr.) 26-08-1942
Webb, Kenneth  
Webb, Paul E. 08-01-1994
Webster, David Kenyon02-06-192209-09-1961more
Weed, William F.13-02-192503-01-2016more
Weeks, Cullen D.  
Weeks, Doneivon L. 12-04-1945
Weeks, Doneivon L. 12-04-1945
Weeks, George Roland 30-01-1945more
Weeks, Raymond B. 26-08-1942
Wegrzyniak, Frank, J.  
Weicht, Ellis R.17-04-191603-12-1944
Weidner, Earl Leroy14-06-192208-12-1994
Weigand, Jack L.  
Weil, Gerald  
Weinstein, Samuel H.00-00-1909 more
Weise, Everett H. 18-09-1944
Weiss, James Thomas 20-02-1943
Weiss, Robert Lincoln04-04-192326-08-2015
Wells, Arthur F. 09-11-1944
Wells, Frank   
Wells, Noble William29-11-190924-10-1944more
Welsh, Harry F.27-09-191821-01-1995more
Welsh, Thomas E., Jr.23-07-192209-06-1944
Welton, James, T.  
Wendling, Anthony, T.  
Wendt, Herman A. 10-08-1943
Wenz, Arlin, G.  
Werges, Raymond William10-09-191323-11-1944
Wertheim, Richard A.05-11-191506-03-1944
Wertich, Jake L. 21-12-1944
Wesson, H. K. 15-10-1944
West, Charles H. 05-03-1945
Westgate, Ellsworth A.03-09-192418-06-1990
Wetzel, Walter C.00-00-191903-04-1945
Weyand, Foster H.  
Whale, Kenneth, D.  
Whaling, William John "Wild Bill"26-02-189420-11-1989more
Wharton, Will B.30-01-192004-03-2012
Wheeler, Alvin C.28-10-191923-06-1944
Wheeler, Hooper, E.  
Wheeler, Stewart F. 05-03-1945
White , Lawrence L. Jr. 28-03-1945
White, Alonzo E.  
White, Arthur Elmer03-08-191622-02-1944
White, Carrell E.  
White, Charles R.  
White, Charles, H. Jr.  
White, Charles, M.  
White, Donald E.13-05-192015-02-1945
White, Harold G. 07-01-1944
White, Howard R.17-09-191931-05-1962
White, John B. 23-09-1944
White, John W.  
White, Lawrence Kermit "Red"10-06-191205-04-2006more
White, Luther H.00-00-192009-05-1945
White, Miller Grieve28-07-189526-10-1987
White, Robert B.26-03-192619-03-2006more
White, Rupert E. 30-11-1944
White, William, O. Jr   
Whitefield, Hassell C.13-06-192017-01-1945
Whitehead Hubert W   
Whiteley, Eli Lamar10-12-191302-12-1986
Whitfield, Basil, M.  
Whitley, Clifton Olin31-10-191210-04-1996
Whitlock, Charles L. 19-02-1945
Whitney, James T. 03-08-1944
Whittaker, Floyd, E.  
Whittenburg, William, W.  
Whitters, Linton Curtis 20-04-1944
Whittington, Hulon Brocke "Rocky"09-07-192117-01-1969more
Whittle, Reba  
Wichmann, Delmar L. 21-05-1944
Wideman, Donald C. 04-12-1944
Widsteen, John A. 16-04-1944
Wiechmann, John, W.  
Wiecking, William, E.  
Wiedorfer, Paul Joseph17-01-192125-05-2011
Wiegand, Jack, A.  
Wiegand, Richard F.17-12-192325-12-1944
Wieland, John M. 27-11-1943
Wiemer Ernest J   
Wiencek, Stanley C.  
Wienecke, Robert Henry18-12-190302-02-1975more
Wieser, Richard, H.   
Wigington, Frank  
Wigle, Thomas W.18-05-190916-09-1944
Wilber, James, W.  
Wilbur, Ernest E. 10-07-1943
Wild, Joseph J.  
Wilder, Lonnie C. 20-02-1945
Wilder, William, H.  
Wildt, Frederick, C.  
Wiles, Vester Henry27-02-192317-12-1944
Wilhoit, William L. (USN)28-04-1923 
Wilkin, Edward G.25-05-191718-04-1945
Wilkins, Aaron Gove25-04-192001-03-1945
Wilkins, Horace, L.  
Wilkins, Raymond Harrell28-09-191702-11-1943more
Wilkins, Thomas G.30-01-192206-02-1944
Wilkinson, Clarence Edward 00-00-1983more
Wilkinson, Don, H.  
Wilkinson, Herbert, P.  
Will, Walter J.00-00-192230-03-1945
Willcox, Westmore, III 06-06-1944
Willett, Gerald D. 10-11-1943
Williams, Charles28-03-192108-11-1944
Williams, Curtis C.  more
Williams, Francis Hubert18-09-190606-03-1945
Williams, Gene H. 20-06-1944
Williams, Greeley B.24-01-191808-12-1941
Williams, Harold E.  
Williams, Hershel Woodrow "Woody"02-10-192329-06-2022
Williams, Jack18-10-192403-03-1945
Williams, Jack C. (US-505th PIR) 20-09-1944
Williams, James A. 12-08-1943
Williams, James A. 14-02-1945
Williams, Joel G.27-08-192105-03-1944
Williams, John, W. Jr.  
Williams, Joseph E. 28-01-1945
Williams, Laurin L.  
Williams, Robert 24-02-1945
Williams, Robert P.00-00-190925-01-1945
Williams, Robert, L.  
Williams, Thomas James 09-08-1942
Williams, Walter, E.  
Williamson, Carl D. 18-09-1944
Williamson, John Leon05-11-192112-11-1942
Williford, Frederick J. 27-03-1945
Willig, Norman K.23-12-192418-03-1944
Willingham, Chester Morse02-12-189530-05-1986
Willis, John Harlan10-06-192128-02-1945
Willoughby, George Arthur17-03-192113-11-1942
Willoughby, Joseph E.22-09-192117-01-1945
Willsie, Harold18-09-191526-08-1942
Wilson, Alfred Leonard00-00-191908-11-1944
Wilson, Dacy, L.  
Wilson, Dale R. 27-11-1943
Wilson, Denver W.  
Wilson, Donald, M.  
Wilson, George E.  
Wilson, John Garrett  
Wilson, Leslie, G.  
Wilson, Louis Hugh, Jr.11-02-192021-06-2005more
Wilson, Rex S.25-03-192514-04-1945
Wilson, Robert Lee24-05-192104-08-1944more
Wilson, Robert, D  
Wilson, Thomas, J.  
Wilson, Wallace, W.  
Wilson, William R.  
Wilson, Winford N. 18-02-1944
Wimbley, Leon John00-07-192004-11-2011more
Winger, Paul H. 03-07-1944
Wingfield, Richard Hueston 01-01-1945
Wingo, Harold Noble27-12-191607-03-1944
Winkler, John H.29-12-1921 more
Winter, Glen, I.  
Winters, Richard Dick21-01-191802-01-2011more
Wise, Homer Lee27-02-191722-04-1974more
Wiseman, Joseph L. 04-06-1942
Wisniewski, Edward J.  
Witek, Frank Peter01-12-192103-08-1944more
Witherow, Boyd M.  
Withey, Grant O.  
Witt, Leonard J.  
Witte, Joseph, J.  
Witter, Johnnie A.02-01-192223-02-2015
Witzman, John09-01-191329-05-1943
Wogan, Thomas E., Jr. 09-05-1979
Wohadlo, Leonard, A.  
Wolf, Francis, M.  
Wolfe, Chester A.  
Wolfe, Marion Daniel18-11-191407-07-1944
Woliver, Robert  
Wolstein, Isadore 06-12-1944
Wolstein, William H. 06-04-1945
Wolverton, Robert Lee05-10-191406-06-1944
Wood, Donald J. 07-06-1944
Wood, Eric Fisher, Jr.25-01-191922-01-1945more
Wood, Jimmie J.10-06-192507-10-1987more
Woodford, Howard E.21-06-192107-06-1945
Woodhouse, Horatio C., Jr.27-08-191330-05-1945
Woodruff, Roscoe Barnett "Woody" Sr.09-02-189124-04-1975more
Woodward, Clifford F. 14-10-1944
Woody, Kimsey Roane  
Woolbright, Charles, J.  
Woollenweber, Irvin E. 27-11-1943
Woolley, William Woodrow26-05-191205-02-1945
Wordell, Malcolm Taber (USN)22-05-191126-02-1996more
Wotipka, Amil, J.  
Wray, Waverly Wright "Charlie", "The Deacon"27-09-191919-09-1944
Wright, Glenn, V.  
Wright, Ralph, N.  
Wright, Russell E. 03-08-1945
Wright, Russell E. 20-04-1945
Wright, Russell M. 25-12-1944
Wronkowski, Albert06-12-191501-04-1945
Wujcik, Joseph J. 30-12-1944
Wusterbarth, Dayton E.01-04-192117-12-1944
Wyatt, Jesse L. 08-10-1943
Wynn, Robert "Popeye"10-07-192118-03-2000
Wynne, James T.30-07-1922 

Sources