WWII US Purple Heart KIA

This is a WWII US Purple Heart awarded posthumously — a KIA (Killed in Action) grouping that includes the medal and its accompanying accommodation paperwork. Posthumous Purple Hearts were awarded to the next of kin of soldiers killed in action, and the accompanying documentation makes these among the most historically significant and emotionally resonant pieces of American WW2 militaria.

KIA Purple Heart groupings are distinguished by the presence of the official notification and award documentation sent to the family. These papers record the soldier's name, unit, date and circumstances of death, and the formal language of the government's recognition of their ultimate sacrifice. Together with the medal, they form a complete record of one soldier's story.

Posthumous Purple Heart groupings are treated with the utmost respect in this collection. They are preserved as a memorial to the individuals they represent and as a reminder of the human cost of the Second World War.