Lot of noise being made about Purple Hearts

Ed Rasimus wrote:
On 16 Aug 2004 04:00:45 GMT, (Tom Cervo) wrote:


America has a fascination with people who were taken out of the war, and
people who have Air Medals, DFC, Silver Stars, Bronze Stars, etc, are
seen as baby killers, and not something you want them to put on their cars,
or résumé's...

What country do you live in?


Colorado USA. Here we have license plates dedicated to Purple Heart
recipients, POWs (free!), and "Honorably Discharged Veteran" (as if
that is some sort of rare achievement. We don't have recognition
plates for Silver Star, DFC, etc. We do, however, have a special plate
encouraging folks to adopt a greyhound.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
"Phantom Flights, Bangkok Nights"
Both from Smithsonian Books
***www.thunderchief.org

We have about 50 or more "specialty" plates in Louisiana Ed, including
one for the PH recipients (free, as long as you belong to the state
version of the Purple Heart Legion or whatever it's called nowadays,
that costs at least 20 bux), and you can get a "Veteran" or "Retired"
plate, for a goodly price in the service of your choice. I think they
have them for every college and university in the state too. Some of
them are almost as ridiculous as adopt a greyhound. Our politicians are
always interested in making a buck or two and keeping the folks at the
state prison busy. VBG

George

Subject: Lot of noise being made about Purple Hearts
From: Ed Rasimus
Date: 8/16/2004 8:46 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 15:55:42 -0700, "la n."
wrote:


"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
. ..

Let me try again. It takes no great competence to get wounded.
Certainly you can be very competent and still get wounded, but it
doesn't take skill or talent or even courage to take a hit. It is,
essentially a mission failure. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but a lot
of times it isn't. Getting hit a lot of times isn't a measure of
competence either--when it occurs regularly, it begins to indicate a
failure to properly judge the situation or maybe an excessive
flamboyence.


So, what is the point in even getting a PH then??!!


Ahhh, a communication breakthrough! There is no point at all in
getting a Purple Heart. No point at all. The nation recognizes the
sacrifice, but there's no glory in it and no point at all.



There's a lot of glory in invading the enemy and standing up to his fire.
Separates soldiers from wannabees and desk jockeys from men who have seen
combat. You remember combat. It is what war is all about.


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

Subject: Lot of noise being made about Purple Hearts
From: "la n."
Date: 8/16/2004 9:13 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:


"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 15:55:42 -0700, "la n."
wrote:


"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
.. .

Let me try again. It takes no great competence to get wounded.
Certainly you can be very competent and still get wounded, but it
doesn't take skill or talent or even courage to take a hit. It is,
essentially a mission failure. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but a lot
of times it isn't. Getting hit a lot of times isn't a measure of
competence either--when it occurs regularly, it begins to indicate a
failure to properly judge the situation or maybe an excessive
flamboyence.


So, what is the point in even getting a PH then??!!


Ahhh, a communication breakthrough! There is no point at all in
getting a Purple Heart. No point at all. The nation recognizes the
sacrifice, but there's no glory in it and no point at all.


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*.

- nilita


We are suddenly running into guys who are against any award they didn't get.
Disgusting.



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

ArtKramr wrote:


There's a lot of glory in invading the enemy and standing up to his fire.
Separates soldiers from wannabees and desk jockeys from men who have seen
combat. You remember combat. It is what war is all about.

Arthur Kramer


So the cook, who got hit by a sniper round is a combat hero? Just wanted
to clarify that point for my uncle, who was the cook, and died last
month.


Dave

"Dave Holford" wrote

So the cook, who got hit by a sniper round is a combat hero? Just wanted
to clarify that point for my uncle, who was the cook, and died last
month.

Yep, he's a genuine war hero. The PH means nothing compared to his
sacrifice.

"Ed Rasimus" wrote

We do, however, have a special plate
encouraging folks to adopt a greyhound.

I want one for supporting testicle cancer! People should have
the balls to sign up for that...

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

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

Subject: Lot of noise being made about Purple Hearts
From:
Date: 8/16/2004 3:11 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Don't any attention to some idiot arrogant fool non combatant
trying to start a flame war. He's exactly the kind no one wants
around them in time of conflict.


I'll second that.


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

In article ,
(Tom Cervo) wrote:

America has a fascination with people who were taken out of the war, and
people who have Air Medals, DFC, Silver Stars, Bronze Stars, etc, are
seen as baby killers, and not something you want them to put on their cars,
or résumé's...

What country do you live in?

Berkeley?