John Kerry's Purple Heart's

[wtf]

Someone just told me that one of his purple hearts came from "a scratch on his hand" I couldn't refute it because honestly I don't know anything about it, but I just have to think it's just one more lie she heard thanks to Hannity. Can someone post some info on his purple hearts?

[fujiyama]

1. I think he had some shrapnel

in him.

Just tell that guy that atleast Kerry VOLUNTEERED and served in Vietnam, which is more than Bush or Cheney ever did.

[salinen]

2. Yes it's true

The military always awards purple hearts to anyone scratched, blood or not. But this was different. Kerry awarded the medal to himself.

[fujiyama]

12. WTF?

That doesn't make any sense. What's with using freeper talking points?

[salinen]

21. You get it

My imitation of a braindead freeptard.

[CatWoman]

18. I know of NO branch in the military

that allows servicemen and women to award medals to him/herself.

Where did you get this tripe?

All honor awards must be recommended by your chain of command.

They are then recommended approval or disapproval by a higher echelon in that chain.

[salinen]

25. Tripe indeed

How do they fall for the most obvious lie? I think the answer is they know it's a lie and couldn't care less.

[Rebellious Republican]

26. Sorry salinen, you can not award medals to yourself in the military

I was in the Navy, served in an expeditionary force, was boots on the ground in Beirut, and flew numerous intel missions and had my ass on line more times than I can count!
It simply does not work that way, this is straight out of the SECNAVINST 1650 G.1 Manual. The Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Hearts which he has all of, is awarded by the Secretary of the Navy, there is a procedure for investigating and approving said awards. Otherwise every Jackass in the Navy would be putting themselves in for the fucking MOH. Jeesh care to do a little research here you go, you can start on page 12 of the PDF at this link http://usmilitary.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://neds.nebt.daps.mil/Directives/1650/1650%5F1g.pdf

[salinen]

29. Yes

This is why I cannot understand why this story has any legs whatsoever! Right up there with, he looks like Lurch, he looks French, he's rich, he's from Mass., he's a Senator from the same state as Kennedy, etc.

I must turn it into humor or risk losing my mind.

[Rebellious Republican]

31. Ah, I missed the sarcasm in your post.

:toast:

[JohnKleeb]

3. He didnt give the medal to himself, he was awarded it

He can choose to accept or decline, and he chose to acecpt the medal.

[Mr_Spock]

4. So, the military gave Kerry a purple heart for a scratch on the hand and

it's Kerry's fault??????????????????????????????????????????

WTF is there to question here - it's not like he gave himself the friggin medal. Hey repuke moron AWOL draft-dodging fucks - get over it - Kerry's a hero and you are gay and can't admit it. Game over man.

[MikeG]

5. Reply: I heard Bush got one for a root canal.

[wtf]

6. Sorry

I should have been more specific in what I was looking for. Is there a link to some documents that describe what he got them for?

[southernleftylady]

13. LOL ok that was funny! n/t

[NYCGirl]

7. Here's the full story...

http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/service.asp

[loathesomeshrub]

15. Thanks I am emailing the link to my father in law

[loathesomeshrub]

8. That's what my father in law threw at me a couple of weeks ago

while he was visiting. I told him so what? What difference does it make how he got injured, or how many times, or even if he even got a purple heart for whatever. The point is, he VOLUNTEERED to go to a very dangerous place (TWICE) while Bush was hiding his ass in Texas and Alabama, and he could have gotten killed, not just injured. The nerve of these people trying to minimise his service just because all three of his purple hearts didn't come from dangerous wounds!

[Sparkly]

10. So TRUE -- Kerry volunteered to be like a duck in a shooting gallery

That swift-boat duty was VERY dangerous!!

[billybob537]

14. Ask your father in law

If he were knocked overboard during a fire fight, Who would he want to be in command?

[loathesomeshrub]

23. I emailed him both Snopes.com and mediamatters.org,

with the page on O'Reilly's lies. Then I emailed them to my 2 repub brothers and to a neighbor (who was also a client, I just sold them the house next door)Actually, none of the injuries were a scratch. He had a shrapnel wound in an arm, in a leg, and the third was a wound in the arm from a mine explosion, at which time he also reached over the boat to save the life of one of his crew. WWGW do? Cower in the bottom of the boat, pissing his pants, which he would have done on 911 had he been anywhere near the action, instead of in a classroom in Florida. Enough said!
Here's what I mailed them all.

I found a great website which tells the truth about stories circulating in the media.
Here's the real story about Kerry's wounds and medals in Vietnam
http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/service.asp

Go to Snopes.com next time you need the truth on anything you hear at Fox. And especially O'Reilly. Mediamatters.org is also a great site. Both of these are non partisan and back up everything with facts and sources
http://mediamatters.org/items/200406300010

I know you are someone who wouldn't want to be lied to. Here's your defense.

[LittleApple81]

19. Was it Maher who said the Repugs are mad because he survived? n/t

[madrchsod]

9. purple heart was

given out as a moral booster,whether it was a scratch or a "surface" wound..but that point is always looked at but the real issue is that he won a -SILVER MEDAL-THOSE WERE NOT GIVEN OUT UNLESS YOU WERE A -HERO-!! so when someone goes after kerry`s purple heart-ask them about the -SILVER STAR- and ask them where bush was during the war and where is his-SILVER STAR-!!!!!!

[ChocolateSaltyBalls]

11. Yep, a scratch on his hand.........

just like Hannity's info came from a crack in his ass.


-snip-

That Purple Heart was one of three awarded to Kerry. (He also won Silver and Bronze stars.) His critics — who incidentally never served under Kerry on his swift boat — are saying his particular wound wasn't serious enough to warrant the award.

But the Pentagon regulation governing the Purple Heart reads: "A wound which necessitates treatment by a medical officer and which is received in action with an enemy."

So — minor or major — a wound is a wound.

-snip-

Former Navy doctor Louis Letson clearly recalls treating Kerry and removing a small piece of metal from his arm with forceps, bandaging that wound and returning him to duty. And when Kerry was hit, he was certainly engaged with the enemy and in harm's way.

In fact, if the fragment Letson removed had been slightly larger and struck the lieutenant between the eyes, Kerry's award would no longer be a current-events issue — since he'd be planted in Arlington National Cemetery instead of campaigning to be the next occupant of the Oval Office nearby.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2004-06-15-hackman_x.htm


This is an 'op-ed', but the facts are there.

[Jim__]

16. John Kerry won 3 purple hearts, a bronze star and a silver star

People who weren't there, now tell us, 30 years later from behind their typewriters that John Kerry didn't earn his medals. The special forces soldier who has verified that John Kerry saved his life in combat disagrees. I believe the soldiers who were there over the chicken hawks who weren't.

[wtf]

17. asdf

thanks, NYCGirl! :D

[Walt Starr]

20. Respond with the truth

Purple Hearts are awarded on the basis of the medical record. One does not request the award. They are automatic when the conditions are met.

[Bunny]

22. Anytime someone just tells you something, make them prove it.

It's not up to you to refute their nonsense. Make them provide you with credible links to their claims. This is where we give up ground - when we try to go around refuting ridiculous horseshit. Tell him to put up or shut up - it's that simple.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

24. All three wounds are briefly described in this linked article....

<http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20040416.html>

Excerpt:

"Kerry first met intense combat on December 2, 1968, when the small boat he skippered encountered the Viet Cong and engaged in a firefight. Kerry's M-16 jammed, and as he bent down to get another weapon, a hot chunk of shrapnel flew into his arm. The wound didn't cause Kerry to miss any duty, but it did qualify him for his first Purple Heart.

Shrapnel again hit Lieutenant (junior grade) Kerry, this time in his left thigh, on February 20, 1969. Kerry's boat spotted enemy combatants on a riverbank and fired. A grenade hit the boat, causing shrapnel to bore into Kerry's leg and earning him another Purple Heart.

His last Purple Heart came from injuries sustained on March 13, 1969. A mine exploded under Kerry's boat and wounded him in the right arm. Despite the injury, Kerry rescued a Green Beret and assisted other damaged boats while braving sniper fire from the riverbanks. This incident earned Kerry a Bronze Star with Combat V for 'calmness, professionalism, and great personal courage under fire.' This final injury was the most severe and gave Kerry pain for years."

[Rebellious Republican]

27. Here this should answer this flame bait see this link.....

Start with page twelve....
http://usmilitary.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://neds.nebt.daps.mil/Directives/1650/1650%5F1g.pdf

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

32. The plane in your photo

Isn't that a P-3 based at NAS Whidbey Island flying over Mount Rainer?

[Rebellious Republican]

33. It is a P3 Orion, but is VP-8, flying over Mt. Etna in Sigonella Sicily

We flew operations out of sunny Sig, fly capitol of the world, in support of the Marines in Beirut in "83".
http://www.sicily.navy.mil/history.htm

[Narraback]

28. Smoking Gun.com has some interesting info regarding his service.

APRIL 21--John Kerry was "unofficially credited" with killing 20 enemy fighters during his five months in Vietnam, according to military records just released by the Democratic presidential candidate's campaign. The body count reference is included in a glowing 1969 Navy report that noted Kerry, a 25-year-old junior grade lieutenant, exhibited "all of the traits desired of an officer in a combat environment." The Navy document, a copy of which you'll find below, was among hundreds of pages released today by the Kerry camp in response to requests from reporters and criticism from Republicans demanding full disclosure of the U.S. Senator's military record. (2 pages)




http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0421041kerry1.html

[Twenty3]

30. OK this is the deal

My wingnut boss heard "KERRY'S COMMANDER HIMSELF," on Fox News (naturally), speculating about how Kerry mighta faked that purple heart. And of course that would make SENSE because after the third one you get to go home. And Kerry wanted to go home -- to begin a political career.

Please note, in case I was not clear. The above is being told to me by my boss.

So I looked it all up. There's one Lt. Cmdr. Grant Hibbard going around now saying one of Kerry's purple hearts was for a minor scratch, and that he was the one who awarded it, blah blah blah.

But the catch is this: The purple heart Hibbard is talking about (scratch or not) was Kerry's FIRST. Not the THIRD one that gets you home.

I asked the boss if anyone on the Fox show was actually stating that Kerry faked his third purple heart in order to go home. Boss thought about it, can't quite remember, but believes it was "implied" rather than stated. And yet, boss is running around repeating it to everyone who'll listen.

And Voila! That's how it works.