Searching for Purple Heart Information

Dear Mr. Heinrich,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub.

We suggest that you request a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). The OMPF can contain information about an individual’s awards and medals. OMPFs and individual medical reports for those who served in the U.S. Army after 1958 and before October 16, 1992 are in the custody of NARA's National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. In many cases where personnel records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service will be issued. Please complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail it to NARA's National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO  63138-1002. Veterans and their next of kin also may use eVetRecs to request records. See eVetRecs Help for instructions. Certain information in the records is not available to the general public without the written consent of the veteran or his next of kin. For more information see Request Military Service Records.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NPRC will continue servicing requests ONLY associated with medical treatments, burials, homeless veterans seeking admittance to a homeless shelter, and those involving the VA Home Loan program. If your request is urgent, please see Emergency Requests and Deadlines. Please refrain from submitting non-emergency requests such as replacement medals, administrative corrections, or records research until NPRC returns to pre-COVID staffing levels. Please check archives.gov/veterans for updates to the NPRC operating hours and status. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!

Joe,

The service record should have documentation for a Purple Heart Medal. You can request it like the previous answer states. If he was treated in an Army hospital while in Vietnam, there should be a hospital admission card or record with the Surgeon General Office. Be sure to check the Records of the Surgeon General in the NARA catalog.

Good luck!