[river rat]

It was clear to us, via our Gunny's description of what did and what didn't qualify for a Purple Heart....

If the Corpsman did all that was needed........No PH.
If injury did not result from combat with the enemy....No PH.
If you returned to duty, without medivac.......No PH.
If you didn't lose a body part.................No PH.
If you injured yourself through stupidity......No PH.
If you injured yourself intentionally...........No PH.
If you were injured doing anything contrary to UCMJ...No PH.
If you were injured by an overactive whore.......No PH.

Not to make too much of a point, or too much humor,
It made SENSE...to everyone.
That's precisely why so many vets are furious with the number of PHs awarded to these OFFICERS in particular...

I'm convinced that both Kerry and Murtha were in Vietnam for one reason and one reason only: Get their political ticket punched..

Semper Fi

[Michael.SF.]

I fully concur.

Regarding the medals awarded to officer's another story my B-i-L tells is one that occurred towards the end of his tour. He was asked to join in on a reception where an officer was being awarded a silver star for something that occurred at a fire fight that my B-i-L was at (he lost several of his buddies in that fight).

He did not recognize the officer and found out that the officer had been only moderately involved (flying a recon assignment overhead or something?). B-i-L got PO'd and worked his way up close to this officer and got in his face in a rather loud tone.

The officer turned every shade of crimson and walked away quickly, as others there grabbed B-i-L and escorted him out. He got an insincere reprimand for his comments and a pat on the back from his buddies for saying what was true.