What is the first medal awarded in the Army?

• A. Medal of Honor
• B. Purple Heart
• C. Band of Merit
• D. Good Conduct Medal

Answer: (C)

Think about the origin of U.S. military decorations. The very first formal recognition of merit in the Army came from George Washington in 1782 with the Badge of Military Merit. This purple badge was the first decoration issued by the new nation to honor soldierly merit, predating the later medals we’re more familiar with. The Medal of Honor, while now the Army’s highest decoration, wasn’t created until the Civil War era in the 1860s, and the modern Purple Heart was introduced much later in 1932 as a revival of the old merit badge concept. There isn’t a recognized award called a Band of Merit in Army history, so the earliest recognized decoration is the Badge of Military Merit.