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Museum object · Awards, Medals, and Insignia

Purple Heart medal awarded posthumously to Tuskegee Airman 2d Lt. James McCullin

after 1943

Smithsonian NMAAHC collection

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A Purple Heart medal and case awarded posthumously to Tuskegee Airmen 2 Lt. James McCullin. A Purple Heart medal. The medal is purple and heart-shaped with a gold border. There is a raised profile of George Washington in the center of the medal. At the top of the medal there is a small white shield with three red stars above two red horizontal lines. On either side of the shield is a green vine with leaves. There is a purple ribbon with white border attached to the medal at the top. On the back of the medal is the inscription: [FOR / MILITARY / MERIT/ JAMES L. / MCCULLIN]. The dedication is in raised gold letters and the name is etched into the medal. A case for a Purple Heart. The outside of the case is dark-colored with gold-colored designs along edges. The top of the case also has gold-colored designs creating two squares.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2013.52.3ab

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