How can you check to see if someone received a purple heart?

Answer 1

If it was after the early 1940's, it was for being wounded or killed in combat.

If the individual is deceased, you can contact the military for a copy of his service record. It should record the where and when of the award.

Answer 2

You can check to see if they are a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, but not everyone will be registered in there. If you ask them what command they were in, you can contact them to find out if it shows on their military record, but that might not be possible if they have been out of the military for a while. You can try asking for proof of the award. This would be in the form of a certificate typed on parchment paper by a typewriter. It will be very official and signed by their awarding officer.