1998What is the Purple Heart Trail?
The Purple Heart Trail is a symbolic network of roads, highways, and memorials stretching across the United States and its territories, beginning at Mount Vernon, Virginia, to honor military personnel wounded or killed in combat. Created in 1992 by the Military Order of the Purple Heart, this Trail serves as a visible tribute to recipients of one of the nation’s oldest military honors—the Purple Heart Medal, whose origins trace back to General George Washington’s 'Badge of Military Merit' in 1782. Unique memorial markers, such as the monument dedicated at Mount Vernon on August 7, 1998, and the tablet at MacArthur Square in Norfolk, Virginia, connect present-day travelers to over two centuries of sacrifice and remembrance. On August 7, 2025, the Trail will mark both the 243rd anniversary of the Purple Heart’s creation and 32 years since the Trail’s first dedication.
