More on Kerry's Purple Hearts Not nearly as much a surprise as the fact that this was in the "The Forum" section in USA Today, one of the more liberal left wing rags.
"Criticism of Kerry's Purple Heart is just". 6-25-4
"Retired U.S. Army colonel David Hackworth defends presidential candidate John Kerry's Purple Hearts. He correctly notes that they are awarded for a wound that necessitates treatment by a medical officer and that is received in action with an enemy ("The meaning of a Purple Heart," The Forum, June 16).
I was commanding officer to whom Kerry reported his injury on Dec. 3 1968. I had confirmed that there was no hostile fire that night and that Kerry had simply wounded himself with an M-79 grenade round he had fired too close. He wanted a purple heart and I refused. Louis Letson, the base physician, saw Kerry and used tweezers to remove the tiny piece of shrapnel - about 1 centimeter in length and 2 millimeters in diameter. Letson also confirmed that the scratch was inflicted with our M-79.
We admire Col. Hackworth, but he, above all people, knows why it is unacceptable to nominate yourself for an award. It compromises the basic military principle that we survive together. To promote yourself is to denigrate your team. I hope Col. Hackworth will rethink his characterization of Kerry's swift-boat comrades as "grousers" passing pn "second-hand bilge." In our case, this is firsthand knowledge, and our integrity is unquestioned.
Kerry orchestrated his way out of Viet-Nam and then testified, under oath, before Congress that we, his comrades, had committed horrible war crimes. This testimony was a lie and slandered honorable men. We, who were actually there, believe he is unfit to command our sons and daughters."
Grant Hibbard, retired commander
U.S. Navy, Gulf Breeze, Fla.
Louis Letson M.D.
Retired lietenant commander
Medical Corps, U.S. Navy Reserve
Scottsboro , Ala.
BTTT!!!!