The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Department of Virginia will host a special National Purple Heart Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Friday, August 7, 2026, in the Shrine of Memory – 20th Century at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.
This inspiring event will honor the estimated two million men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces from the Revolutionary War to today and were wounded or killed in combat and were awarded the Purple Heart Medal which bears the image of President George Washington, Commander of the Continental Army.
Members of the public and especially Purple Heart recipients and their families are invited and encouraged to attend and participate. National Purple Heart Day will be commemorated across America and at Mount Vernon, the home of President and General Washington, on Saturday, August 8.
According to Ben King, Commander of MOPH Department of Virginia, the theme of this year’s ceremony is “Sacred Honor, Living Legacy.” The program will include a welcome from Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle, a keynote address by MOPH Virginia Commander Ben King, an invocation by MOPH Virginia Chaplain Brian Moore, and readings from the Declaration of Independence celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
All Purple Heart recipients in attendance will be recognized, and special commemorative coins will be presented to active-duty service members and students who participate in Purple Heart activities at their schools throughout the Commonwealth.
Also, during the Richmond ceremony, MOPH Virginia will announce the awarding of Citations of Honor to Virginia’s three state veterans cemeteries – the first state veterans cemeteries in America to receive this recognition.
“By establishing the nation’s first Purple Heart Cemeteries, Virginia is once again leading the way. These cemeteries become more than places where heroes are laid to rest—they become places where their legacy begins, ensuring that their service and sacrifice continue to inspire future generations,” said MOPH Virginia Commander Ben King.
“Our three state veterans cemeteries are deeply honored to be the first in the nation to receive the Military Order of the Purple Heart’s Citations of Honor. This recognition reflects the unwavering respect we hold for our over 600+ Purple Heart recipients interred at our state veterans cemeteries and our commitment to ensuring their service and sacrifice are remembered with dignity,” added DVS Cemeteries Director Andre Logan.
For more information on Virginia’s Purple Heart Day Ceremony, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov. For additional information about the Military Order of the Purple Heart, go to www.purpleheart.org.
