[Mr. Silverback]

I have not received a PH (or even served in combat) but I know one guy who refused a PH. He was put in for it by his CO, and when he found out about it he asked him to rescind it. He had taken a small piece of shrapnel (which is still in his arm) during a firefight, and he felt it was not deserving of a medal. Then there's the case of Max Cleland, who was given a PH because his higher-ups considered it the right thing to do for a man so profoundly wounded, even though he was clearly not a victim of enemy action.

So basically, I find it suspicious any time I hear of someone working their chain of command to get a PH.

[AnAmericanMother]

My dad refused a Purple Heart in WWII, because he was ashamed to take one with such a slight wound when so many of his fellow soldiers were so seriously hurt.

"Just gimme the aspirin. I already gotta Purple Heart."

[brazzaville]

Good afternoon.
"He was put in for it by his CO,..."

Unless things have changed, or I'm losing my memory, you aren't "put in" for a purple heart. When you are treated for a wound by medical personnel they fill out a tag on the injury and that report makes it's way up the chain and the medal is awarded.

Cleland isn't a good example of a phony PH because he was wounded during combat operations. It doesn't matter who blew him up.

Michael Frazier