Be that as it may be ,but does it qualify Kerry for a purple heart. If
so if
I were working in an armed forces wood shop and I could get a purple
heart
every time I got a splinter in my finger . Hell I wold be weighed down
with
them by now ....mjh

Yes, even friendly fire injuries so long as the fire is intended to harm
the enemy or enemy equipment or material and not a result of gross
negligence or criminal acts. E.g. getting fragged and shooting yourself
in the foot to get evacuated don't count, getting hit by your own
shrapnel counts. Befor being severly wounded, Senator Dole received
shrapnel wounds from his own grenade which he described as the sort of
wound the Army treated with 'mercurichrome and purple hearts'. I
don't know if he got a purple heart for that or not.

But the fact remains, a PH is one medal no one wants to qualify for,
and especially no one wants one to be received by one's family.

--

FF

Kind of like Max Cleland, got injured playing with ammo, and then got beaten
fare and square in the last election for following the party line rather
than the needs of his constituents....mjh