Short of Purple Hearts, Navy tells vet to buy own

[thedrifter]

Aug. 16, 2007, 10:42PM
Short of Purple Hearts, Navy tells vet to buy own

By ANNE MARIE KILDAY
Houston Chronicle

PEARLAND — Korean War veteran Nyles Reed, 75, opened an envelope last week to learn a Purple Heart had been approved for injuries he sustained as a Marine on June 22, 1952.

But there was no medal. Just a certificate and a form stating that the medal was "out of stock."

"I can imagine, of course, with what's going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, there's a big shortage," Reed said. "At least, I would imagine so."

The form letter from the Navy Personnel Command told Reed he could wait 90 days and resubmit an application, or buy his own medal.

After waiting 55 years, however, Reed decided to pay $42 for his own Purple Heart and accompanying ribbon — plus state sales taxes — at a military surplus store.

On the day he was injured, getting a medal was the last thing on his mind. Stationed close to the front lines at Panmunjom, where peace talks were under way, Reed "was a forward observer — the one that's up on the front line directing the artillery. I had to get to the observation point."

Reed jumped in a Jeep and had started out when a 76-millimeter shell "comes in and hits right below the Jeep in the mud. And when it went off, it blew the Jeep over and threw me into the windshield, where I busted my cheek — you can see the scar — and I was bleeding like a stuck pig."

"And I could see this battalion aid station, with Navy corpsmen. So this doc, this surgeon, sewed me up and he says, 'Do you want a Purple Heart?' That's when I said, 'I haven't got time! They're waiting for me up at the front lines,'" Reed recalled. He rushed back to duty.

About three years ago, Reed said, he started thinking that it would be nice to have the Purple Heart to pass on to his two sons or daughter, or to show to his eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

"I thought it was going to be an easy thing. Well, I found out that's not true," Reed said. The first response Reed got was that there was nothing in his record about the incident, and that he had to provide witness statements and other verification.

Reed located two Marine Corps buddies, who provided the statements.

"Then I started sending all this information to congressmen, senators, the president, the commandant of the Marine Corps, anybody," Reed said. "Well, I kept getting turned down."

"The real support I got was from Sen. (John) Cornyn."

John Drogan, a spokesman for the Texas Republican, said Thursday that the senator's office has now arranged for Reed to get an actual medal.

"I have word from Navy folks they have just received additional Purple Heart medals, and we are going to make sure Mr. Reed gets his," Drogan said, adding that he could not explain why the Navy Department had no medals when the senator's office contacted it last month.

Maj. J. DeLaRosa, a media affairs officer for the Marines at the Pentagon, couldn't believe Reed received only the certificate.

"That's unacceptable. 'Out of stock'? That's like saying, 'We're out of ammo.' That's like saying 'The Marines are going to close tomorrow.' It just seems a bit weird," DeLaRosa said. "There have been a lot of guys wounded, but not to the point that we're out of medals."

The Department of Defense estimates that 29,098 troops have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan through Thursday.

For his part, Reed is simply happy he finally received recognition for what happened to him that day. "That's why I am so grateful to Sen. Cornyn."

Ellie

[SSgt Blue]

What a bunch of BS

[ggyoung]

There were over 400,000 purple hearts made just for for the invation(sp) of japan. There has not been any made since 1945.

[ivalis]

I seem to remeber that they stopped making the purple hearts out of gold some time during the Viet Nam set-to because it cost too much.

[ggyoung]

They have not made any Purple Hearts since 1945. This was on the History Channel about 2 weeks ago.

[Dave Coup]

If they made 400,000 for the invasion of Japan there should be a few left.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

That's actually incorrect. I'm a military collector, and have been for over 30 years. PH's have been made (although not in large numbers) since WWII. The last contract was, I believe, listed in 1991, in anticipation of Desert Storm. Probably through either HLI (Lordship) or one of the other gov't medals contractors.

WWII PH's were issued into Vietnam (you can tell the difference by looking at the 'Purple'; high quality enamel was used on the WWII contracts, later replaced by plastic...yes, plastic), and the small leaves around the top of the 'heart' itself, which used to be colored in, in red, are no longer done, but left blank on the 'new' issue medals. (Yes, they look and feel cheaper than a WWII PH).

There are other differences, such as in method of hanging the medal ribbon from the suspension bar, and the ring which hold the 'heart' in place, to differentiate between a "new" PH and a WWII version. Also, in WWII, the Navy and Army used a different contractor, and their PH's looked slightly different and show some other subtle differences.

Finally, the military used to engrave the Purple Heart with the recipients name; this practice was stopped in early 1943 (or so), and not resumed until after WWII. (Almost all valor awards were so engraved as well). Nowadays pretty much no medal is engraved by the gov't, but servicemembers can have them privately done.

Sorry for the impromptu 'class'....I'm a geek when it comes to this stuff LOL.

Oh, the History channel isn't always correct, BTW....believe me.....

Regardless of all of the above, it's still UNSAT that the gummint can't give the Vet the medal he rates. Of course, I had to buy my Kosovo Campaign, and a few others....but this the PH for cryin out loud!

[FistFu68]

WHAT THE FUC' IS THIS? SEND THE SEC.NAVY,PERSONALLY AND HAVE HIS AZZ-PIN IT ON THIS MAN;FOR HIS LONG OVERDUE AWARD!!!THESE MUTHA'FUCER'S AMAZE ME!!!

[jetdawgg]

WHAT THE FUC' IS THIS? SEND THE SEC.NAVY,PERSONALLY AND HAVE HIS AZZ-PIN IT ON THIS MAN;FOR HIS LONG OVERDUE AWARD!!!THESE MUTHA'FUCER'S AMAZE ME!!!

FistFu, you are the Man

[Scottyva]

Instead of sending SECNAV after this fiasco may the SECDEF or even POTUS needs to present this medal and read the citation so they realize what has been going on to us hard charging vets.

WHAT THE FUC' IS THIS? SEND THE SEC.NAVY,PERSONALLY AND HAVE HIS AZZ-PIN IT ON THIS MAN;FOR HIS LONG OVERDUE AWARD!!!THESE MUTHA'FUCER'S AMAZE ME!!!

[sparkie]

Relax, Gentlemen. Honor is a simple thing. Couldn't any old Marine who has also earned the medal pin it on for him? The Honor of our peers is all the honor we need. screw the Bigshots.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Bingo. I'd rather be 'pinned' by someone with a BTDT shirt and I respected, than by some 'bigshot' whose just there because they HAVE to be or whatever. A friend of mine just died this past week, (liver cancer) and we did the honor guard for him (29 years a federal cop). He made it very, very, clear, in writing, he did not want or desire our 'director' making an appearance anywhere near his services. Gotta love that. He was carried to his final rest by regular line coppers, the guys he served with and respected.