Kerry question: How common is 3 purple hearts in 3 months?

[Conservomax]

I was reading about Kerry's service on this site: Vietnam Vets Against John Kerry after hearing my father, a WWII vet go on a rampage against Kerry's service record. Being from MA, I was of course, familiar with Kerry's war record and moreimportanatly, post war record, but I did not know the details. On this site it says that Kerry was wounded and awarded the PH three times in a little over 3 months. Is that common?

My father was shot, stabbed, and blown out of a landing craft during WWII, and never received any citation, I know that it was a different war. But I don't understand how Kerry could be so decorated in such a short period of time without someone pulling strings for him.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

It is very uncommon to receive 3 Purple Hearts at all let alone 3 in as many months. While SWIFT boat duty was arguably dangerous, many individuals served much longer in the same region without being wounded one, let alone three times. What I find truly uncommon is that Kerry lost only two days to his injuries. That is, his injuries were largely superficial. (I believe that the two lost days were because some shrapnel had to be removed from his leg.)

What is a little discussed secret of the Vietnam War is that someone decided that being thrice wounded allowed the service member to be rotated out of the combat zone early. Few people serving in Vietnam knew of that provision, though I believe the personnel people routinely made the offer to anyone awarded his third Purple Heart.

I have heard rumors of individuals who were jostled in combat or who were knocked to the ground by the force of a blast putting themselves in for a Purple Heart for their injuries each time. In short, some people may have used the three combat actions, three injuries equals 3 Purple Hearts and a ticket home. I am not suggesting Kerry used this ploy, but a person receiving 3 Purple Hearts in about as many patrols into an area with the enemy is highly unusual.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

He was a Vietnam vet, I didn't know that.

Are You series? (sic) F'ing Kerry, the French looking dude in Nam? Wow! I didn't know that either.

And please do not confuse him with the French dudes over there until 1954 or so.-

[solo gringo]

How any could vote for this low life Commie is a question i would like answered.

[RicocheT]

Kerry did his duty and served in Vietnam. We should give him that respect. Even a minor shrapnel wound in the right place can be fatal.

It is his post Vietnam behavior in the Vets against the war and in his government jobs that he is vulnerable. He is a big time left leaning liberal and would do the same as President.

[mystery-ak]

I agree with mass55th, you need to check into this....he gave you some good leads...it's easy to get your dad's service records, but it does take awhile....It sounds like your dad is entitled to a PH and he may have been overlooked which is not uncommon...

[MIchaelTArchangel]

To Conservomax: The Purple Heart is supposed to be awarded almost automatically based upon (unfortunately,) the death of a service member as a result of combat or based upon hospital/infirmary records for treatment of such injuries. Today the process is fairly foolproof because our recordkeeping systems are much better than they were in World War II. Many World War II veterans entitled to receive the Purple Heart did not receive it because they recouperated and rejoined their units before the records were created. Even if you cannot obtain a copy of your father's discharge papers (It wasn't a DD Form 214 back in the 1940s because the DoD hadn't been created yet!), if you know your father's unit, it is possible to prove he should have been awarded the Purple Heart based upon hospital records. The Army's history office should be able to align World War II operational units to field hospitals. If you know the following information (a) your father's unit, (b) the battle in which he was wounded, (c) roughly where he was wounded, and (d) approximately when he was wounded, the record of his eligibility probably exists in the hospital records.

As a note for all: In World War II soldiers received rotation points for being in a battle, being on a specific mission, being decorated, etc. Many soldiers talked about amassing enough points to rotate back home, but -- and this may be why my father's generation is The Greatest Generation -- many amassed those points (and receiving 3 Purple Hearts for minor wounds would NOT have been enough to get rotated out) -- but remained with their units. I was stunned to learn that my father had enough points from his service in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy to be rotated back home but he stayed with his unit until it returned to Fort Devens, Massachusetts.

[GigaDittos]

Not sure if that is relevant. I took the risk, got shot at and wounded. That's all that will matter.

[fini]

The criteria for Purple Hearts has changed over the years, but "seriousness of the wound" doesn't matter. If you get a slight cut on cheek from an EN mortar round, you rate the medal if it "required medical treatment." Whether your name was submitted for a Purple Heart is a different matter. The units that "lived in country" rarely submitted names unless the person was MEDEVACed- too much paperwork. In the 80s, I had a 1st Sgt who had numerous scars, but only 1 Purple Heart. He told me that no one cared about Purple Hearts until a policy was put in place that stated that if you had three you could/would go home. Since he wanted to stay, he made sure that he only received 1. In fact, he was wounded three times on his first day in Viet Nam- none serious but it did catch his attention. He ultimately stayed for two tours. Since Kerry belonged to a unit that did not live in country (they went in, accomplished the mission and got out), I suppose that his paperwork was much more complete than your standard ground unit.

[tracer]

"Ambitious people do not generally look for easy ways out."

Uh, ever heard of Bill Clinton??

[js1138]

Uh, ever heard of Bill Clinton??

BJ is a bit of an exception. Just how much of an exception is made clear by the democrats' current infatuation with war heros.

[aruanan]

Just remember that that picture of Kerry in front of the Viet Cong flag is a fake.

[VOYAGER]

Is it true real heroes are made, not born, so who is to say this kind of hit or miss bravery, rare action or opportunity would spill over into his(heaven forbid)presidency?

[Poser]

You get a purple heart for a piece of shrapnel that deflects into your arm. Considering he was on a PBR, it is not uncommon at all. Incoming fire bouncing off the steel of the guns was normal. Many wounds are simply treated and released back to duty.

[P.O.E.]

Bump to those pics - each worth a thousand words.

[aloysius89]

You know, if people really want to find out more about what kind of character John Kerry has you need to look long and hard at the VVAW. I had the misfortune of attending an anti-war rally during the late 70's (these fruits never give up) and hearing some VVAW loudmouth saying the troops should turn their guns on their officers. Even my antiwar friends were embarassed by this guy. If his views were common (as I believe they were) this guy (Kerry) was a member in good standing and even a leader of quite the gang of idiot anarchists. I think it bears more examination.

[cynicom]

There was a way out of the Nam LBJ and dem "quagmire", three Hearts and off you go home. Kerry got the THREE OF HEARTS.

[mewzilla]

So how does someone get put in for a Purple Heart? Can they put in themselves for one, or does someone else, say a witness or a doctor, have to do it for them?

[savedbygrace]

For a guy like Lurch, about as common as eating three ham and cheese sandwiches in 10 seconds?

Ham & cheese? But he's Jewish, isn't he?