[xzins]

contusions on his right forearm when a mine detonated close to his boat on March 13, 1969.

Is a contusion a bruise?

If so, do they award purple hearts for bruises? I've NEVER heard of that before. Ever. Anyplace. Has anyone else?

[xzins]

ping to #112

[EllaMinnow]

A contusion is a bruise - no more no less.

To be fair, though, in this case the arm contusions were the same "incident" as the butt shrapnel.

The Purple Heart was probably for the butt shrapnel, and the bruises on his arms were the result of diving headfirst into the bushes, leaving the butt as the primary shrapnel target.

[PhiKapMom]

Contusion: injury to tissue usually without laceration : BRUISE

Never heard of a purple heart for a bruise either! Some hero -- not! How he could possibly accept a Purple Heart for a bruise is beyond my comprehension when so many soldiers were killed or hurt really bad. I find Kerry even more slimey then I did before.

[blackie]

John F'n Kerry is a lying traitor ~ Bump!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Mr. Silverback]

If so, do they award purple hearts for bruises

What does it matter? if he was wounded in the same attack? This wasn't a Frank Burns "shell fragment in eye" Purple Heart, it was for shrapnel in his tuchis, and the medical record also notes contusions, as medical records commonly do.

In any case, quibbling over Kerry's Purple Hearts is 100% counter-productive and plays into his hands unless there is "gotcha" evidence that is not only indisputable, but a bombshell revelation, or unless we can show a pattern of consciously using Vietnam service as a stepping stone to power. It's like quibbling over Benedict Arnold's combat record instead of criticizing his treason. Whether Kerry was a "hero" in Nam is questionable. Whether he was a treasonous scumbag when he came back, and a threat to our troops safety ever since, is 100% indisputable. Use the big guns--Hit Benedict Arnold for treason, not for exagerrating his wounds at Montreal and Saratoga.