70 Years Later

[hortysir]

WWII veteran Roy Kratt finally gets Purple Heart after 70+ years | wtsp.com

Under hospice care and suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia, Roy Kratt distinctly recalls a bowl of tomato soup, his first meal after days of floating in the Pacific Ocean after the Navy ship he was aboard was sunk by Japanese bombers. "It was the best bowl of tomato soup he'd ever had after not eating for days," said his son, Richard.

 

[SFC Ollie]

 

[regent]

A number of GI's were slightly wounded during WWII and never received the purple heart. Some, by the time they were treated the wound was already healing, but I think the biggest reason was there never seemed to be any routine procedure for the award. It was sort of like the Maudlin cartoon, where Willie says to the medic I already got a purple heart how about giving me some aspirin. Purple hearts became valuable when the point system evolved after VE Dau where the medal counted for going-home time. I know a number that were kicking themselves for not pursuing the award when wounded. I think they lost five points and again I think it took 85 to go home.

 

[SFC Ollie]

My Uncle turned down two of them, but took the third......

 

[whitehall]

John Kerry was in a unique position in Vietnam. As a commander of an independent "Swift Boat" he was required to recommend his personnel for awards and forward his recommendation to Navy command. Most officers act in a responsible way but Kerry apparently saw a way to recommend himself for enough Purple Hearts to get a ticket home in three months. A pinprick on his finger as a result of a mine that went off too close to the boat became a Purple Heart. A self inflicted wound when a grenade thrown into a cache of rice and stung him on the ass became Heart #2.

 

[regent]

John Kerry was in a unique position in Vietnam. As a commander of an independent "Swift Boat" he was required to recommend his personnel for awards and forward his recommendation to Navy command. Most officers act in a responsible way but Kerry apparently saw a way to recommend himself for enough Purple Hearts to get a ticket home in three months. A pinprick on his finger as a result of a mine that went off too close to the boat became a Purple Heart. A self inflicted wound when a grenade thrown into a cache of rice and stung him on the ass became Heart #2.

Both sound like legitimate purple heart awards. Might check the award requirements.

 

[whitehall]

John Kerry was in a unique position in Vietnam. As a commander of an independent "Swift Boat" he was required to recommend his personnel for awards and forward his recommendation to Navy command. Most officers act in a responsible way but Kerry apparently saw a way to recommend himself for enough Purple Hearts to get a ticket home in three months. A pinprick on his finger as a result of a mine that went off too close to the boat became a Purple Heart. A self inflicted wound when a grenade thrown into a cache of rice and stung him on the ass became Heart #2.

Both sound like legitimate purple heart awards. Might check the award requirements.

Self inflicted ain't on the awards list. Accidents usually don't qualify either.

 

[regent]

John Kerry was in a unique position in Vietnam. As a commander of an independent "Swift Boat" he was required to recommend his personnel for awards and forward his recommendation to Navy command. Most officers act in a responsible way but Kerry apparently saw a way to recommend himself for enough Purple Hearts to get a ticket home in three months. A pinprick on his finger as a result of a mine that went off too close to the boat became a Purple Heart. A self inflicted wound when a grenade thrown into a cache of rice and stung him on the ass became Heart #2.

Both sound like legitimate purple heart awards. Might check the award requirements.

Self inflicted ain't on the awards list. Accidents usually don't qualify either.

(h) Self-inflicted wounds, except when in the heat of battle, and not involving gross negligence.

As for accidents might want to check that one out too?