Does the military or government keep a list of Purple Heart recipients?
No. The only military medal list budgeted by Congress is the Medal of Honor. The Marine Corps, the smallest service branch, maintains a “tape” of its Purple Heart recipients, but that is not required by Congress, nor is it required to be publicly accessible. The tapes are used for internal audit purposes. 20. Will the government replace a lost or stolen Purple Heart? No. Military medals are issued only once. If a Purple Heart was never issued, only the recipient or a direct family member (if the recipient is infirm or deceased) can apply for a first-time issue. Replacement medals can be purchased from any military medal retailer. Only medals that say “official” on the packaging meet official U.S. government specifications. 21. Can a family member request a replacement medal? Military medals and information from a veteran’s military files can legally be requested by parents, siblings and children of an active military personnel or veteran. Under the Freedom of Information Act, other rel
