CORPUS CHRISTI MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND SCIENCE
PURPLE
HEART
HEART
The Price of Valor
Since 1782, the Purple Heart has been America's oldest military decoration, awarded to those wounded or killed in service to their nation. This exhibition traces the medal's journey from George Washington's Badge of Military Merit through the conflicts of the 21st century. Through the stories of South Texas veterans, we honor the price of freedom and the enduring spirit of those who paid it.
A TEMPORARY EXHIBITION • 2026
01Purple Heart: The Price of ValorIntro • 36″×84″
HISTORY
A LEGACY
BORN IN
REVOLUTION
BORN IN
REVOLUTION
The Origins of America's
Oldest Military Honor
Oldest Military Honor
Gilbert Stuart · Williamstown Portrait · 1803
On August 7, 1782, General George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit at his headquarters in Newburgh, New York. Conceived as an honor for "unusual gallantry" and "extraordinary fidelity," the original decoration was a purple cloth heart — a symbol of bravery sewn above the left breast.
SECTION ONE
02A Legacy Born in RevolutionIntro • 36″×84″
LOCAL HEROES
SOUTH
TEXAS
HEROES
TEXAS
HEROES
The Coastal Bend's
Purple Heart Legacy
Purple Heart Legacy
Corpus Christi skyline
or Harbor Bridge photograph
or Harbor Bridge photograph
From the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of Afghanistan, men and women from the Corpus Christi area and the greater Coastal Bend have answered the call to serve — and many have paid a profound personal price. This section honors the Purple Heart recipients of South Texas, whose courage reflects the deep military heritage of our community.
SECTION TWO
03South Texas HeroesIntro • 36″×84″
RECOVERY & LEGACY
USAF Photo · Korea · July 23, 1953
THE ROAD
HOME
HOME
Beyond the Battlefield
The Purple Heart marks a moment — the instant when a service member's life changes forever. But the story doesn't end on the battlefield. Recovery, resilience, and the journey home are chapters written in hospital wards, in families reunited, and in communities that open their arms. These are the stories of what comes after.
SECTION THREE
04The Road HomeIntro • 36″×84″
HISTORY
AUGUST 7
1782
1782
BADGE OF
MILITARY
MERIT
MILITARY
MERIT
Badge of Military Merit · 1782 · Public Domain
“The General ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers… directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings over the left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth.”
— GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON
Washington's order established what would become the precursor to the Purple Heart. Only three soldiers are known to have received the original badge before it fell into disuse after the Revolution.
1.1
05Badge of Military MeritMontera • 23″×84″
HISTORY
FEBRUARY 22
1932
1932
REBORN
IN 1932
IN 1932
Purple Heart · Presentation Case · CC0
On the 200th anniversary of Washington's birth, the U.S. Army revived the honor. General Douglas MacArthur championed its renewal. Designed by Elizabeth Will, the new medal featured Washington's profile in purple enamel on a gold heart.
The medal's criteria initially covered only wounds received in action. Over time, eligibility expanded to include all service members wounded or killed by enemy action.
1.2
06Reborn in 1932Montera • 23″×84″
DATA
BY THE
NUMBERS
NUMBERS
~1.8M
TOTAL PURPLE HEARTS AWARDED
Did you know?
In preparation for the planned invasion of Japan, the U.S. manufactured approximately 500,000 Purple Heart medals. The invasion never came — but the surplus was so vast that medals from that original 1945 stockpile were still being awarded to service members wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In preparation for the planned invasion of Japan, the U.S. manufactured approximately 500,000 Purple Heart medals. The invasion never came — but the surplus was so vast that medals from that original 1945 stockpile were still being awarded to service members wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
3
Original recipients of Washington's Badge (1782–1783)
1.3
07By the NumbersMontera • 23″×84″
LOCAL HEROES
FACES OF
VALOR
VALOR
SGT James R. Morales
U.S. Army • Vietnam
CPL Maria Elena Garza
U.S. Marines • Iraq
PFC Robert L. Chen
U.S. Army • Korea
SSG David A. Treviño
U.S. Army • Afghanistan
LT Dorothy M. Peña
U.S. Navy • WWII
SPC Anthony K. Ramos
U.S. Army • Iraq
Names shown are representative placeholders. Final panel will feature verified local Purple Heart recipients.
2.1
08Faces of ValorMontera • 23″×84″
VOICES
IN THEIR
OWN WORDS
OWN WORDS
“
You don't think about being brave. You think about the person next to you. That's all there is to it.
— Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army
Purple Heart, Vietnam 1968
Purple Heart, Vietnam 1968
“
The medal doesn't make you special. What makes you special is coming home and doing something with the second chance you were given.
— Corporal, U.S. Marines
Purple Heart, Fallujah 2004
Purple Heart, Fallujah 2004
“
I still hear the sounds. But I also hear my grandchildren laughing. Both are real. Both are mine.
— Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army
Purple Heart, Korea 1951
Purple Heart, Korea 1951
“
They gave me a medal for the worst day of my life. But it reminds me every day that I survived it.
— Specialist, U.S. Army
Purple Heart, Afghanistan 2010
Purple Heart, Afghanistan 2010
2.2
09In Their Own WordsMontera • 23″×84″
REFERENCE
THE
MEDAL
MEDAL
OBVERSE
Profile of George Washington in military uniform, centered within a purple enameled heart bordered in gold. Above the heart, Washington's coat of arms between sprays of green enamel leaves.
REVERSE
A raised bronze heart bearing the inscription "FOR MILITARY MERIT" with space below for the recipient's name to be engraved.
RibbonPurple with white edges, 1⅜″ wide
Width1⅜ inches (35 mm)
MaterialBronze with purple enamel
DesignerElizabeth Will, 1932
PrecedenceAfter Bronze Star Medal
REF
10The MedalMontera • 23″×84″
Batch 2 — Alternate Direction
CORPUS CHRISTI MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND SCIENCE
PURPLE
HEART
HEART
The Price of Valor
Since 1782, the Purple Heart has stood as America's oldest military decoration — a solemn recognition of those wounded or killed in service to their nation.
SCULPTURE ZONE
Metal shard sculpture, Texas cutout (48″),
CNC Purple Heart medal (24″)
Metal shard sculpture, Texas cutout (48″),
CNC Purple Heart medal (24″)
B1Honor Wall (Names)Backdrop • 120″×89″
EXHIBITION
PURPLE
HEART
HEART
Honor · Sacrifice · Legacy
From the Revolutionary War to the present day, the Purple Heart has honored those who gave their blood in service to this nation.
Corpus Christi Museum of History and Science
SCULPTURE ZONE
Shard motif extends
behind physical sculpture
Shard motif extends
behind physical sculpture
B2Shattered (Geometric)Backdrop • 120″×89″
THE PRICE
OF VALOR
OF VALOR
An exhibition honoring the men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart — from the battlefields of the Revolution to the conflicts of today.
SCULPTURE ZONE
Sculpture silhouetted against
atmospheric background
Sculpture silhouetted against
atmospheric background
B3Atmospheric (Photo)Backdrop • 120″×89″
HISTORY
THE
INVASION
THAT NEVER
CAME
INVASION
THAT NEVER
CAME
U.S. Air Force · Public Domain
500,000
MEDALS MANUFACTURED
In 1945, the United States manufactured half a million Purple Heart medals in preparation for the planned invasion of mainland Japan. The invasion never came. The surplus was so vast that medals from that original stockpile were still being awarded to service members wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan — over sixty years later.
The anticipated casualties for Operation Downfall were estimated at 500,000 to over one million Allied soldiers.
1.3
11The Invasion That Never CameMontera • 23″×84″
TIMELINE
THROUGH
EVERY
CONFLICT
EVERY
CONFLICT
1.4
12Through Every ConflictIntro • 36″×84″
LOCAL HEROES
The Women
Who Earned It
Who Earned It
Pentagon Ceremony · 2002 · U.S. Navy
Women have served and bled for this country since its founding. From Army nurses wounded in World War II to combat medics in Afghanistan, women have earned the Purple Heart with the same courage and at the same cost.
PHOTO
PHOTO
PHOTO
Placeholder portraits of female Purple Heart recipients from the Coastal Bend region.
As of 2023, over 200 women have been awarded the Purple Heart — a number that continues to grow.
2.2
13The Women Who Earned ItMontera • 23″×84″
SACRIFICE
Omaha Beach · June 6, 1944 · U.S. Coast Guard
COST OF
FREEDOM
FREEDOM
What Freedom Asks
Every Purple Heart tells two stories: the story of a wound, and the story of what came after. This section invites you to sit with both — the cost of freedom measured in the bodies and spirits of those who bore it.
SECTION THREE
14Cost of FreedomIntro • 36″×84″
RECOVERY
What We
Carry
Carry
57th Medical Detachment · Vietnam · 1968
The wounds that earn a Purple Heart are visible. But many recipients carry invisible injuries — traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress, chronic pain, and the quiet weight of memories that never fully heal.
1 in 3
Purple Heart recipients report
lasting psychological impact
lasting psychological impact
11–20%
of post-9/11 veterans experience
PTSD in a given year
PTSD in a given year
Recovery is not a straight line. It is measured in small victories — a night without nightmares, a hand steadied, a conversation held.
3.1
15What We CarryMontera • 23″×84″
U.S.
MILITARY
MAIL
MILITARY
VOICES
Letters Home
Before email, before satellite phones, letters were the lifeline between the battlefield and home. These excerpts reveal the human beings behind the medals.
“Dear Mama, I am writing this from a hospital in France. Don't worry yourself too much. The doctor says I'll keep the leg. The food here is terrible but at least I'm eating it sitting down for once.”
PFC, U.S. Army • France, 1944
“I keep thinking about the bay. Remember when we'd fish off the old pier? I'm going to do that every single day when I get home. Every single day.”
Corporal, U.S. Marines • Vietnam, 1968
“They gave me the Purple Heart today. A colonel pinned it right there in the hospital. I thought I'd feel something big but mostly I just thought about you and the kids.”
SGT, U.S. Army • Iraq, 2005
SCAN OF ORIGINAL LETTER
Representative composites inspired by period correspondence. Actual veteran letters sourced with family permission.
2.3
16Letters HomeMontera • 23″×84″
COMMUNITY
CORPUS
CHRISTI
REMEMBERS
CHRISTI
REMEMBERS
A City That Honors Its Own
PHOTOGRAPH
Memorial Day ceremony or local veterans gathering
Memorial Day ceremony or local veterans gathering
The Corpus Christi area has deep roots in military service. Naval Air Station Corpus Christi has trained aviators since 1941. The city's Purple Heart recipients span every major conflict, and the community continues to honor their legacy.
Veterans Memorial Park
Memorial to Nueces County veterans of all conflicts
NAS Corpus Christi
Training home for naval aviators since 1941
USS Lexington Museum
WWII aircraft carrier, a living memorial to naval service
Purple Heart Trail
Highway segments honoring combat-wounded veterans
SECTION FOUR
17Corpus Christi RemembersIntro • 36″×84″
Photographs
D-DAY • JUNE 6, 1944
INTO THE
JAWS OF
DEATH
JAWS OF
DEATH
American soldiers wade from a Coast Guard landing craft toward Omaha Beach. Of the 34,250 troops who landed on Omaha, over 2,400 became casualties — each eligible for the Purple Heart.
PHOTO: CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER’S MATE ROBERT F. SARGENT / U.S. COAST GUARD / PUBLIC DOMAIN
PH1Into the Jaws of DeathMontera • 23″×84″
AMERICA’S OLDEST MILITARY DECORATION
THE
PURPLE
HEART
PURPLE
HEART
A heart-shaped purple enamel medal bordered in gold, bearing the bust of George Washington in military uniform. Suspended from a purple and white silk ribbon.
IMAGE: U.S. AIR FORCE / PUBLIC DOMAIN
PH2The Purple HeartMontera • 23″×84″
IWO JIMA • FEBRUARY 23, 1945
RAISING
THE FLAG
THE FLAG
Six Marines raised the flag atop Mount Suribachi. Three were killed in action within days. Nearly 7,000 Marines died on Iwo Jima — and 19,217 were wounded, each a Purple Heart.
PHOTO: JOE ROSENTHAL / ASSOCIATED PRESS / U.S. MARINE CORPS / PUBLIC DOMAIN
PH3Raising the FlagMontera • 23″×84″
VIETNAM • MAY 1966
DUSTOFF
UH-1D helicopters airlift the wounded during Operation Wahiawa. The radio callsign “Dustoff” became synonymous with battlefield medevac — the first link in a chain that saved thousands. 351,794 Purple Hearts were awarded during Vietnam.
PHOTO: SFC JAMES K.F. DUNG / U.S. ARMY / NARA / PUBLIC DOMAIN
PH4DustoffMontera • 23″×84″
NEWBURGH, NEW YORK • 1782
THE
GENERAL
GENERAL
“The road to glory in a patriot army and a free country is thus open to all.”
George Washington, General Orders, August 7, 1782
PAINTING: GILBERT STUART / WILLIAMSTOWN PORTRAIT / 1803 / PUBLIC DOMAIN
PH5The GeneralMontera • 23″×84″
REVOLUTIONARY WAR • 1782
BADGE OF
MILITARY
MERIT
MILITARY
MERIT
The original heart-shaped purple silk decoration — America’s first military decoration for enlisted soldiers. Only three were ever awarded during the Revolutionary War. The modern Purple Heart descends directly from this humble cloth badge.
IMAGE: BADGE OF MILITARY MERIT / PUBLIC DOMAIN
PH6Badge of Military MeritMontera • 23″×84″
TUSKEGEE AIRMAN • 2010
BELATED
HONOR
HONOR
Tech. Sgt. George Watson Sr., a Tuskegee Airman, receives the Purple Heart more than 66 years after being wounded in a German air raid during WWII. A reminder that valor knows no color — and that recognition is sometimes delayed, but never diminished.
PHOTO: WAYNE RUSSELL / U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE / PUBLIC DOMAIN
PH7Belated HonorMontera • 23″×84″
KOREA • DECEMBER 1950
THE FROZEN
CHOSIN
CHOSIN
A column of the 1st Marine Division moves through Chinese lines during the breakout from Chosin Reservoir. Temperatures dropped to −35°F. Of 30,000 U.N. troops at Chosin, over 10,000 became casualties. The “Forgotten War” produced 118,650 Purple Hearts.
PHOTO: CPL. PETER MCDONALD / USMC / PUBLIC DOMAIN
PH8The Frozen ChosinMontera • 23″×84″
Photo Backdrops
June 6, 1944 • Normandy, France
THE LONGEST
DAY
DAY
156,000 Allied troops landed on five beaches. Over 10,000 became casualties on the first day alone — each wound a Purple Heart earned.
PHOTOGRAPH: U.S. COAST GUARD / NATIONAL ARCHIVES / NARA 26-G-2343 / PUBLIC DOMAIN
B4The Longest DayBackdrop • 120″×89″
Arlington, Virginia
THE PRICE
OF VALOR
OF VALOR
Over 400,000 servicemembers rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Many were Purple Heart recipients — their sacrifice measured not in words, but in the silent rows that stretch beyond the horizon.
PHOTOGRAPH: IP SINGH / 2012 / PUBLIC DOMAIN
B5The Price of ValorBackdrop • 120″×89″