Show FIRST U S MILITARY MEDAL government gave gen george washington decoration to commemorate evacuation of boston the first military medal ever bestowed by the american government was one in gold to gen george washington to commemorate the evacuation of boston by the british in 1776 capt paul jones jone s was similarly rewarded after his famous eslit with the in 1779 1770 and the three men paulding williams and van wart who captured maj jolin john andre in 1780 were given special medals by congress the first decoration and so far as aa col robert E wyllie wi alle of the general staff of the U S A and author of a work on military and civil orders decorations and insignia has been ablo able to discover which had a general genera application to enlisted men was the result of an order issued in 1782 by general washington A soldier cited for the decoration was permitted to wear on his facings over his left breast the figure of a heart in purple cloth clah or silk edged with narrow lace or binding detroit news |