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

Object Details

Issued by

United States Armed Forces, American, founded 1775

Received by

Second Lieutenant James L. McCullin, American, 1919 - 1943

Subject of

Tuskegee Airmen, 1941 - 1946

99th Pursuit Squadron, American, 1941 - 1949

Description

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. The case opens to a 90 degree angle from hinges on the back short edge. In center of the top of the case gold letters read: [PURPLE HEART]. The interior of the case is lined with yellow fabric. The fabric in the top part of the case looks like satin and the bottom part of the case the fabric looks like velvet.

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift from the McCullin Family, in memory of Second Lieutenant James L. McCullin

after 1943

Object number

2013.52.3ab

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Type

cases (containers)

medals

Medium

cardboard , paper, metal and ribbon

Dimensions

H x W (Medal): 3 × 1 3/8 × 3/16 in. (7.6 × 3.5 × 0.5 cm)

H x W x D (Closed): 1 x 3 1/2 x 6 1/2 in. (2.5 x 8.9 x 16.5 cm)

H x W x D (Open): 7 x 3 1/2 x 6 1/2 in. (17.8 x 8.9 x 16.5 cm)

Classification

Awards and Medals

Exhibition

Double Victory: The African American Military Experience

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 053

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Military

Tuskegee Airmen

World War II

Record ID

nmaahc_2013.52.3ab

Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)

Not determined

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd50b99ef9d-6b1d-4f6b-8154-036ca7a3874e