[EdGreene]

Thought this might put to rest some doubts and doubters about The Purple Heart. It does not matter how much blood you lose, it only matters that you lost it in combat as a result of enemy action: period: end of discussion.
_____________________________________
The Purple Heart is an American decoration—the oldest military decoration in the world in present use and the first American award made available to the common soldier. It was initially created as the Badge of Military Merit by one of the world’s most famed and best-loved heroes—General George Washington.

General Washington is often pictured as a cold, stern soldier, a proud aristocrat. Yet we know he showed sympathy and concern for his troops, and was not too proud to pray humbly on his knees for his beloved country and for the men who served it, and him, so bravely and loyally.

His keen appreciation of the importance of the common soldier in any campaign impelled him to recognize outstanding valor and merit by granting a commission or an advance in rank to deserving individuals. In the summer of 1782 he was ordered by the Continental Congress to cease doing so—there were no funds to pay the soldiers, much less the officers!

Deprived of his usual means of reward, he must have searched for a substitute. Shortly after receiving the "stop" order from Congress, he wrote his memorable General Orders of August 7, 1782, which read in part as follows:
"The General, ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers as well as foster and encourage every species of military merit, directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings, over his left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk edged with narrow lace or binding. Not only instances of unusual gallantry but also of extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any way shall meet with due reward. The name and regiment of the persons so certified are to be enrolled in a Book of Merit which shall be kept in the orderly room." The order further states: "Men who have merited this distinction to be suffered to pass all guards and sentinels which officers are permitted to do. The order to be retroactive to the earliest stages of the war, and to be a permanent one." Washington ended his order with: "The road to glory in a patriot army and a free country is thus open to all."

Lost or misfiled for almost 150 years among the War Department Records at Washington, D.C., this important paper came to light during the search for Washington’s papers prior to the celebration of his bicentennial in 1932. With it were the dramatic accounts of three soldiers who received the decoration at Newburgh, N.Y., at Washington’s Headquarters. The Book of Merit has not been found. The U.S. War Department revived the Purple Heart decoration on February 22, 1932. Miss Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic specialist in the Office of the Quartermaster General, was named to redesign the newly revived medal, which became known as the Purple Heart. Using general specifications provided to her, Ms. Will created the design sketch for the present medal of the Purple Heart. The Commission of Fine Arts solicited plaster models from three leading sculptors for the medal, selecting that of John R. Sinnock of the Philadelphia Mint in May 1931. The revived form is of metal, instead of perishable cloth, made in the shape of a rich purple heart bordered with gold, with a bust of Washington in the center and the Washington coat-of-arms at the top. The latter is believed to have been the source of the stars and stripes of the American Flag.

The PURPLE HEART is awarded to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration.

An organization now known as the "Military Order of the Purple Heart," was formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of all who have received the decoration. Composed exclusively of Purple Heart recipients, it is the only veterans service organization comprised strictly of "combat" veterans.

Funds for welfare, rehabilitation and/or service work carried on by the organization are derived through the collection of used household items, the operation of Thrift Stores, through the donation of automobiles and, at the community level, from the annual distribution of its official flower, the Purple Heart Viola. Violas are assembled by disabled and needy veterans, many of whom receive little or no compensation from other sources. Thus your contribution to programs of the Military Order of the Purple Heart serve a two-fold purpose—they help the veterans who participate in these endeavors and enable the organization to do many things on behalf of hospitalized and needy veterans and their families.

Wives, mothers, daughters, step-daughters and adopted daughters of Purple Heart recipients are eligible to belong to the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, which also does important work nationally and locally in Veterans’ Hospitals. Further information about the Order and its Ladies’ Auxiliary may be obtained from the National Headquarters as listed below.

For additional information on how to join, write or call:

The Military Order of the Purple Heart
5413-B Backlick Road
Springfield, Virginia 22151
(703) 642-5360
(703) 642-2054 (fax)

[slickoe]

It is only random chance the way the munitions exploded the way they did; the pieces of shrapnel could have very well have been a bit larger;large enough to cause Kerrey to bleed to death, contract septicemia, shoot out at a different angle and nick a jugular vein at high velocity. Had he been killed in any such manner would his heroism be questioned the way it is being questioned presently?

[Chris A]

The Kerry camp gave no quarter to bush. Even going so far as to call him a deserter...

As far as the Kerry thing goes he managed to get out of the military as slickly as any other privileged person did.

[Rep]

Originally Posted by Chris A

The Kerry camp gave no quarter to bush. Even going so far as to call him a deserter...

As far as the Kerry thing goes he managed to get out of the military as slickly as any other privileged person did.

Ah... Chris
would you please cite a quote where somebody from, "the Kerry camp" has called the President a deserter? I may have missed that one.

Maybe somebody can help me out here, but I think the current Vice President is quoted as having had "other priorities" during the same war that Senator Kerry was awarded a Purple Heart for.

[slickoe]

Why would someone who volunteered for a second (combat) tour get out "slickly"? Did he bribe the VC to shoot at him or something?

[Chris A]

Originally Posted by Rep

Ah... Chris
would you please cite a quote where somebody from, "the Kerry camp" has called the President a deserter? I may have missed that one.

Maybe somebody can help me out here, but I think the current Vice President is quoted as having had "other priorities" during the same war that Senator Kerry was awarded a Purple Heart for.

Good Grief

I thought better of you.... You know that just a few months ago they were screaming that Bush was AWOL from the war... Kerry camp may not have came straight out and said it but they underhandedly were supporting it.

Kerry was a crybaby in much of the eyes of the people that served over there... There is no denying that he pushed for his purple hearts deserving or not.

[slickoe]

That's a rather damning accusation, that Kerrey "pushed" for his purple hearts. You claim there is "no denying". Care to back that up? Is there a corpsman who remembers Kerrey saying, as he was being sutured, "be sure to photograph these wounds; I need these damn purple hearts for when I go into politics!"

[Chris A]

Originally Posted by slickoe

That's a rather damning accusation, that Kerrey "pushed" for his purple hearts. You claim there is "no denying". Care to back that up? Is there a corpsman who remembers Kerrey saying, as he was being sutured, "be sure to photograph these wounds; I need these damn purple hearts for when I go into politics!"

He had a little scratch on his forearm, and he was holding a piece of shrapnel," recalled Kerry's commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Grant Hibbard. "People in the office were saying, `I don't think we got any fire,' and there is a guy holding a little piece of shrapnel in his palm." Hibbard said he couldn't be certain whether Kerry actually came under fire on Dec. 2, 1968, the date in questionand that is why he said he asked Kerry questions about the matter.

But Kerry persisted and, to his own "chagrin," Hibbard said, he dropped the matter. "I do remember some questions, some correspondence about it," Hibbard said. "I finally said, `OK, if that's what happened . . . do whatever you want.' After that, I don't know what happened. Obviously, he got it, I don't know how."

[Rep]

Originally Posted by Chris A

Good Grief

I thought better of you.... You know that just a few months ago they were screaming that Bush was AWOL from the war... Kerry camp may not have came straight out and said it but they underhandedly were supporting it.

Kerry was a crybaby in much of the eyes of the people that served over there... There is no denying that he pushed for his purple hearts deserving or not.

TY for clearing that up. So, the Kerry camp did not say that the President was a deserter. It may have been some of the millions that support him. (BTW, I was not one of them.)

Senator Kerry certainly must have had a lot of power back in the early 1970's to cry loud enough to get his superior officers to recommend a purple heart.

Maybe, maybe not. But it does kinda prove that he served in his unit, doesn't it?

[Chris A]

Originally Posted by Rep

TY for clearing that up. So, the Kerry camp did not say that the President was a deserter. It may have been some of the millions that support him. (BTW, I was not one of them.)

Senator Kerry certainly must have had a lot of power back in the early 1970's to cry loud enough to get his superior officers to recommend a purple heart.

Maybe, maybe not. But it does kinda prove that he served in his unit, doesn't it?

Touche

But you have to admit that the Dems stared all this BS.

There is as much proof out there that Bush served as in that Kerry deserved these purple hearts...

[bassetman]

I don't know about Rep, but I don't have to admit to your accusation!

[rextilleon]

Bush, did what many sons of the powerful did during Vietnam--they used their pull to avoid combat duty. In Bush's case, his family put pressure on the Lt. Gov of Texas, a man named Barnes, to have Bush's name put to the top of the Guard list--a very popular list for the sons of the well healed. Who knows, one of the kids that he bumped might have ended up going to Nam.

Poor slobs like me, who didn't have pull, did our duty. Never, and I repeat, never compare Bush's use of rich man's affirmative action to Kerry's service. It makes a mockery of that War and those who gave their lives needlessly. Beyond that, I don't think it should play a role in chosing our new president. It's the new Vietnam that we should pay attention too.

[slickoe]

Yes. It has been a year, we are not only still fighting, there is no way any sane person can look at the current situation and say that Iraq can be militarily pacified unless we decide to pull off the gloves and give Iraq the Vietnam treatment-napalm, carpet bombing, white phosphorus- this is not 1969- NOONE will let us get away with that, and that is not why we are there- wait- why ARE we there?

[Rep]

Originally Posted by Chris A

Touche

But you have to admit that the Dems stared all this BS.

There is as much proof out there that Bush served as in that Kerry deserved these purple hearts...

I am not all that certain that, "Dems started all this BS". There is much rhetoric started on all sides and the Republicans play in that as well. It is not the, "Dems" that wrapped Mr. Bush in the flag to become some superpatriot that left anybody with legitimate questions or concerns about going into Iraq as being unpatriotic.

It is our job to sort through it all and make sound decisions for ourselves. I believe that if people do that they become, if not Democrats, at least left of center a bit.

[EdGreene]

Chris A:

As far as the Kerry thing goes he managed to get out of the military as slickly as any other privileged person did.

Kerry's only "privilege" was the third Purple Heart and had nothing at all to do with who he was.
"Three and out"-remember?
And remember this too: Purple Hearts two and three are still in his body.