Automated Sync Active • Database updated as of Recent • Browse All Orders →
★
Executive Orders Archive

Every President • 1789 to Present
Search orders...
Executive Order 9277 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order 9277—Award of the Purple Heart to Persons Serving with the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard of the United States

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt
•
Thursday, December 3, 1942
•
2 min read (460 words)

Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis

Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.

This executive order, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1942-12-03, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Award of the Purple Heart to Persons Serving with the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard of the United States." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.

Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

▪ Except as authorized in paragraph three hereof, no more than one Purple Heart shall be awarded to any one person, but for each subsequent justification for such an award a Gold Star, or other suitable device shall be awarded, to be worn with the Purple Heart as prescribed by appropriate regulations.
▪ The regulations of the Secretary of the Navy hereunder, and the regulations of the Secretary of War with respect to the award of the Purple Heart to persons serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, shall, so far as practicable, be of uniform application.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments 🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants 🏛️ Public Health & Medical Institutions 🏛️ Financial Institutions & Monetary Authorities
Total Words
460
2,559 characters
Estimated Read Time
2 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
23.2
Post-Grad reading level
Constitutional Polarity
+0.02
Framers' Alignment index
📜

Scholarly & Legal Citations 

Exec. Order No. 9277, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Dec 3, 1942). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-9277-award-the-purple-heart-persons-serving-with-the-navy-marine-corps-or.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →
Whereas the decoration of the Purple Heart is awarded, as prescribed by Army Regulations of September 4, 1942, to persons serving with the Army of the United States; and Whereas it is appropriate that the award of the Purple Heart be authorized to persons serving with the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard of the United States: Now, Therefore , by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: 1. The Secretary of the Navy is authorized and directed to award the Purple Heart in the name of the President of the United States to persons who, while heretofore or hereafter serving in any capacity with the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard of the United States, are wounded in action against an enemy of the United States, or as a result of an act of such enemy, provided such would necessitates treatment by a medical officer. 2. Except as authorized in paragraph three hereof, no more than one Purple Heart shall be awarded to any one person, but for each subsequent justification for such an award a Gold Star, or other suitable device shall be awarded, to be worn with the Purple Heart as prescribed by appropriate regulations. 3. The Secretary of the Navy is further authorized and directed to award the Purple Heart posthumously, in the name of the President of the United States, to any persons who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard of the United States, since December 6, 1941, are killed in action or who die as a direct result of wounds received in action with an enemy of the United States, or as a result of an act of such enemy. The Purple Heart will be forwarded to the nearest of kin of any person entitled to the posthumous award regardless of whether a previous award has been made to such person. 4. If so authorized by the Secretary of the Navy the award of the Purple Heart may be made by the Commander in Chief of a fleet, or by such other appropriate officers as the Secretary of the Navy may designate. 5. The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to promulgate such regulations as he may deem appropriate to effectuate the purposes hereof. The regulations of the Secretary of the Navy hereunder, and the regulations of the Secretary of War with respect to the award of the Purple Heart to persons serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, shall, so far as practicable, be of uniform application. FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT The White House, December 3, 1942.