[Polybius]

How does one a Purple Heart the easy way? An inch this, an inch that way and a ding is a mortal wound.

The same thing can be said for not being hit at all.

Kerry's three Purple Hearts resulted in his missing two days of service for one of them and missing zero days of service for the other two.

He could have slipped and skinned his knee on the deck for all we know.

When asked by the Boston Globe for permission to see what medical treatment he received for those three Purple Hearts that required a grand total of two days of convalescence, Kerry refused to allow that information to be made public.

There are Purple Hearts that are earned and there are Purple Hearts that are handed out like Geedunk Medals.

''Just give me the aspirin. I already got a Purple Heart.''

[Hon]

"Kerry's three Purple Hearts resulted in his missing two days of service for one of them and missing zero days of service for the other two."

So Kerry says. His commanding officer is quoted by thte Boston Globe as saying his three wounds didn't cost him ANY duty days. ZERO.