WW1 gas victim purple heart

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

It seems the Brits did not give wound stripes for gas victims... how does it look for the yanks?

I think they did give the purple heart for gas victims?

Does anyone know for sure?

Thanks

Chris

[Chris Boonzaier]

Just confirmed my Purple heart was for a gas victim of the 89th Division.

Nice little goody. I want to eventually add an article about him (or his unit) to my homepage.

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Chris,

in looking through the USA section of: "Wound Medals, Insignia and Next-Of-Kin Awards Of The Great War." it makes no reference to Gas at all, simply cites that the purple Heart was re-introduced in the 1930s.

"Although the Purple Heart Medal is now universally identified as the Wound Medal of the United States forces, it had a very different founding purpose, and has followed a rather complex evolutionary pathway to its present form. . . .

"The implementing regulations defined four categories of receipient. Three of these deal specifically with the case of wounds incurred in action. Consequently, the association of the Purple Heart medal with wounds suffered in the line of duty was established immediately upon reinstitution of the award.

"All individuals authorised by Army Regulations 600-95 to wear Wound Chevrons were considered qualified to apply for the Purple Heart.

"Similarly, those not authorized Wound Chevrons prior to 22 February 1932, but qualifying for them during later service under A. R. 600-95 qualified for the medal.

Revisions to Army Regulations 600-45 defining conditions of new awards specified that the criterion requiring a " . . . . a singularly meritorious act of extraordinary fidelity or essential service . . ." could be satisfied by " . . . . a wound which necessitates treatment by a medical officer and which is received in action with the enemy . . ." (War Department Circular No. 6, 22 February, 1932).

"Individuals who had been awarded the Meritorious Services Citation Certificate (established by Sec of War in December 1918) were also eligible for the Purple Heart Medal.

In the "Early Days" of US involvement in WW1.

"Within a few months of entry into the war the Adjutant General recommended that Service personnel wounded in action be authorised wear of a ribbon for each wound incurred (McDowell, 1984). This suggestion was favourably received. It was originaly suggested that the ribbon be patterned on that of the Army and Navy Medals of Honor with red (symbolic of blood shed in defence of the country) substituted for the blue of the Medal of Honor. Presumably this ribbon, had it been adopted, would have been very like that subsequently authorised (7 June, 1921) for the short-lived Marine Corps Brevet Medal.

War Department General Ordee 134 (12 October, 1917) issued under the authority of Secretary of War Newton D. Baker specified that:

"XI. 1. Every officer and enlisted man who has been wounded in action since April 6, 1917, or who may be hereafter be so wounded, is authorised to wear ribbons for such wounds under the following conditions:

(a) That one ribbon only is authorised for wound or wounds received on the same date. . . . .".

This with ammendments to design was followed by the US military adopting the "Wound Chevron"

Kevin in Deva.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here is the medal in question and a small write up ..

http://www.kaiserscross.com/40312/42469.html