The Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration in present use and was initially created as the Badge of Military Merit by General George Washington in 1782.  It was the first American service award or decoration made available to the common soldier and is specifically awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces who have been wounded or who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in combat with a declared enemy of the United States of America.  The mission of the Military Order of the Purple Heart is to foster an environment of goodwill among the combat-wounded veteran members and their families, promote patriotism, support legislative initiatives, and most importantly, make sure we never forget.  

On May 6, 2015, Supervisor Zulauf proclaimed The Town of Beekman as a Purple Heart Community. The purpose of being a Purple Heart Community is to express gratitude to the sons and daughters of our community who were either wounded or killed in combat defending the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans.  There are more than 900 Purple Heart locations in the United States, honoring the 1.6 million Purple Heart recipients.

Purple Heart Day is celebrated nationally on August 7th.