ArtKramr wrote:
Subject: Lot of noise being made about Purple Hearts
From: "Jay T. Beatty"
Date: 8/16/2004 3:34 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: k.net


"Billy Preston" wrote in message
news:67aUc.5619$ni.1528@okepread01...

"la n." wrote

Hmmm .... well, as a Canadian who in the meantime looked
up Purple Heart, I saw that there is actually a national
organization for combat wounded veterans:

http://www.purpleheart.org/

I imagine that the PH means a lot to *them*.

Just as much as beer lovers do at www.beer.com it means
something to them!

In America, we call them Paper Hangers. That's anyone who
makes more out of something than is required.

An enlisted man got 1 promotion point for a PH, and 3 points
for an Air Medal, or Commendation Medal. Which one is more
valuable?


It's not the actual award that means so much to me, it's what it denotes.
The moment I "qualified" for mine changed my life forever. BTW where are
they called Paper Hangers? I've never heard the term before (not trying to
flame anyone, just curious).



Of course it means a lot to you. It only means nothing to those who have none.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

I have to disagree, Art. My Dad was a 7ID rifleman and fought in both
battles at Pork Chop Hill. When I was a boy I begged him to let me see
his Korean War uniform and stupidly asked him why he didn't have a
Purple Heart. He said, "I came back home to your Mother in one piece.
That's better than any medal." He locked his uniform back in the cedar
chest and no one has seen it since. That was forty years ago. He doesn't
have a Purple Heart, but to say that the medal means nothing to him
because of that fact would be foolish.

Vygg