U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, left, awarded the Purple Heart to Korean War veteran Nyles Reed, right.
Steve Ueckert: Chronicle
Posted on 08/21/2007 8:27:09 AM PDT by Dubya
PEARLAND — This time, Nyles Reed didn't have to pay for his Purple Heart medal.
Monday, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn awarded him the medal, saying it is "embarrassing" Reed was ever told he'd have to pay $42 to get his own.
The 75-year-old retired salesman got a standing ovation at a packed luncheon of the Pearland and Alvin Chambers of Commerce.
Navy officials notified him a couple of weeks ago that he had qualified for the medal 55 years ago as a Marine sergeant in Korea.
The medals were out of stock, officials told him in a letter. He got a nice certificate, but was told that if he wanted a medal to go with it, he'd have to either buy his own or reapply in 90 days.
Cornyn, R-Texas, said no combat veteran should have to pay for his own medals, and his staff made sure Reed got a medal provided by the federal government.
The medal Reed received Monday does create a problem. Reed already has a Purple Heart he bought at a Houston military goods store.
Reed said he took his certificate to the store to prove he was entitled to the award, but was amazed to find out all he needed was the $42.
"I've heard of people having medals they aren't entitled to. Maybe they'll take it back and refund my money," Reed said with a grin.
Back on June 22, 1952, Reed was heading for an artillery observation post near Panmunjom when a Chinese artillery shell blew his Jeep over, causing a deep gash in his cheek.
Reed went to a nearby aid station and got about 10 stitches in his wound. He still has the scar beneath his left eye.
"All I knew was that the Chinese were attacking, and they needed me at that observation post," he said.
His Jeep turned out to be as tough as he was. After it was put back up on its wheels, it took Reed to the observation post.
Because he didn't stick around at the aid station long enough to give anybody his name, there were no official records of his wound.
After seeing other veterans getting medals decades after they were in combat, Reed decided about three years ago to try to get his Purple Heart. "I had a couple of buddies who are still around who knew what happened, and they helped me," Reed said.
The heart-shaped medal was established in 1932 to honor members of the military wounded or killed during enemy action.
Reed said he wrote members of Congress, the secretary of defense and even the president.
"The most help I got was from Cornyn's office," he said.
He said he was deluged with letters of support after a story in the Houston Chronicle last week about Reed being told he would have to buy his own medal. "Some people even sent me checks to pay for the medal," he said.
"I'm especially proud of having this for my family," Reed said. He and his wife, Frances, have three children, eight grandchildren and eight great-granchildren.
He said he often wears a cap proclaiming he's a veteran.
"You know, they often call that the forgotten war," Reed said. "As long as I'm around it won't be forgotten."
richard.stewart@chron.com
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, left, awarded the Purple Heart to Korean War veteran Nyles Reed, right.
Steve Ueckert: Chronicle
No soldier should ever ever have to buy a deserved medal. I’m not real happy with the idea that any store can even sell them.
I hope they checked to make sure it's not a John Kerry (rumor has it that he was in Vietnam) throw-away.
Jon Cary has a bunch of PHs he never earned and doesn’t need for any future presidential campaigns.
I grew up on an Army post, and as a kid I used to while away the time my mom spent shopping by looking at the decorations the PX had for sale in the uniform shop. They even had the Congressional Medal of Honor on sale at the Fort Bragg PX!
What part of reapply in 90 days meant he had to buy it?
I don't understand why you think he is cheating?
Did you read the article.
Are you a combat vet.?
It wasn't as bad as the headlines would make you believe. A typical government logistical operation, no? No backorder capability but then again, who cares about customer service when you are the gubermint? But he was only "forced" to pay if after 55 years, he could not wait a little while longer.
And remember, folks, these are the guberment types who would run your healthcare system. Medals, bandaids, heart operation, what's the diff?
Now, if Hillary gets her way, delete medal and replace with the medical procedure of your choice.
No. I am not a vet. I guess 90 days is more like 90 years in government work. I’m glad a Congresscritter did their job and got it for him. I simply believe that it is misleading to say he had to buy it.
I imagine that with the injury rate in Iraq, there is a shortage and thus the 90 day wait.
Nyles Reed is deserving of a “Hand Salute. Ready. Two.”
Whay does our government take so long in awarding our brave people the medals they earned?
Last October, my best friend (a cobra gunship pilot) received his Silver Star earned in Viet Nam. He got to enjoy it for a whole two weeks before he died of cancer. Why does the bureaucracy need to churn for 35 or 40 years before the awards are given?
You missed the whole point of my post. I was facetiously hoping that he didn't get stuck with the Purple Heart that was tossed away by that lying, shameless, Paper Tiger and bedwetter who was almost elected President.
That's another kerry flip-flop. Back then, he said he did it. More recently he said it was only "ribbons".
Why should he have to go through the re-application process? Why didn't they say, "We don't have one now, but we will send one as soon as we can!" ??
He's 75 years old -- I don't know how his health is, but perhaps he wasn't sure how he'd be feeling 3 months from now.
In other articles I read about him, when he was originally injured, he was asked if he wanted a Purple Heart, and he said, "I don't have time for that -- I have to get back to the front lines."
While commendable bravery and valor, he wasn’t on the front lines for 55 years. We are in the middle of a war right now, there are bound to be shortages of medals. A little understanding on his part would go a long way, he didn’t have to run to the media and blow this all out of proportion by trying to imply he would have to buy his own, he had an option. The fact that he went to the media makes me inclined to believe he had an agenda for doing so.
I read some time ago that the planners if the invasion of Japan anticipated so many casualties that they made up a huge inventory of Purple Hearts to award to those wounded in it. That inventory was so large that they were used through the Korean War, Viet Nam and were finally used up in Panama.
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