A US veteran has started a petition to “send Donald Trump to war” so he can earn his own Purple Heart medal.

The satire GoFundMe page was started in response to the US Republican candidate’s remarks at his rally in Virginia, where he appeared flippant about handling the medal – a military honour awarded to combat-wounded servicemen and women.

Mr Trump stood on stage holding a Purple Heart medal that was handed to him by a veteran moments earlier.

“I’ve always wanted to get a Purple Heart. This was much easier,” Mr Trump said at the rally.

Decorated Army veteran Cameron Kerr started the petition in a stand against Mr Trump’s comments.

“As with seemingly everything else in his life, Mr Trump got one handed to him instead of earning it,” Mr Kerr wrote on the GoFundMe page.

“That being said, as a Purple Heart recipient who earned one the old-fashioned way by returning from Afghanistan one leg lighter, I fully endorse his desire to earn one and would happily oblige his interest in doing so, by being one of the first to chip in to fly him to the conflict zone of his choosing.

“After all, you’re never too old to follow your dreams.”

The GoFundMe page has shared a mock-up of a Purple Heart Medal showing Donald Trump’s face. Photo: GoFundMe: Tyler Kerr

So far more than $US50,000 has been raised through the page.

Mr Kerr said the funds would not be directed to “help Donald realise his conveniently retroactive military fantasies”, but instead would be donated to organisations aiding Syrian refugees.

The International Rescue Committee, Syrian American Medical Society and Refugees Welcome International will benefit from the fundraising.

The hashtag #PurpleTrumpsOrange has been used as a fundraising promotion on social media.

The man who handed his Purple Heart to Mr Trump on stage, Lieutenant Colonel Louis Dorfman, said the comments had been taken out of context.

“I think he would make a good commander in chief,” Mr Dorfman told Fox News.

“I was very proud to give him that medal, not just for myself … this is about all the veterans that are carrying the wounds of these wars that we’re in and past wars.

“He [Mr Trump] had told me back stage how much of an honour it was.”

Mr Trump’s comments come just days after he was accused of attacking the parents of a slain Muslim soldier who spoke out at the Democratic National Convention.