Some things to bear in mind as you debate these people:
** Purple Hearts that are truly earned are very rarely questioned, as the wounds are serious and the scars lasting.
** Purple Hearts that are awarded for lesser wounds usually have to be 'pushed' for, be that by a zealous commander who wants to reward his men or a person trying to satisfy his own ego.
** Three PH's, allowing a 'man' to leave the combat area, all given for lesser wounds requires a very rare and despicable person, who had to push three times for a PH, and then push again for his release.
Side story:
My brother in law served a tour in Vietnam in '67-'68 and received three minor wounds (bullet graze, shrapnel graze and pun-gee (sp?) stick). No PH was awarded to him. He also says he could never ask for one for those wounds after seeing some of the guys who truly deserved them.
My B-I-L despises Kerry.
Same deal for my brother. He caught some shrapnel in Vietnam and the injury was minor, and required cleaning, antiseptic and a bandage. I asked him why he did not get a purple heart. He said, "I would have been embarrassed to ask for one when the injury was so minor."