Purple Hearts

[Spanky]

My husband received 3 purple hearts and 2 bronze stars, 1 with Valor while serving in Vietnam. Along with the certificates for the award of bronze star, he has citations telling what the bronze stars are for. He also has copies of the orders. For all 3 of his purple hearts, all he has is the certificate and copies of the orders - there is no citation explaining what the purple heart was awarded for. He says he never received a citation, but his VSO is telling him he should have it. We've searched all of his old army records and there just is nothing and he has all of his paperwork. I've requested his personnel records and there was no citation received. Were citations issued with purple hearts?

[Spanky]

Thanks for everyone's help.

Yes, the purple hearts show on his DD214. It shows as "Purple Heart w/2d OLC". The orders for PH #2 & PH#3 show - Award of the Purple Heart, First Oak Leaf Cluster and Second Oak Leaf Cluster.

As I read Carlie's link on the Purple Heart in WikipediA, I read paragraph B-2 and wonder if the VA is not recognizing his Purple Hearts as proof of his wounds because nothing mentioned in his medical records.

We have never found anything in his service medical records regarding the gunshot wound & the burns. He was not hospitalized for either the burns or gunshot wound, he was treated in the field and went back to fighting. He said the burns were not 3rd degree burns, the medic put ointment on it and bandaged it and like I said he went back to fighting. My husband questions whether the medics would keep good records when they are treating so many wounded in the field. His wounds though are listed in his personnel record on form DA20 -- Enlisted Qualification Record and it also gives the date which corresponds to the date of the PH's.

There are no scars from the burns - he does have a 3 or 4 inch scar on his forearm from the gunshot wound. It's just such a slap in the face that the VA doesn't service connect these 2 when he was awarded the PH. They state in the rating decision "We determined the following condition(s) were not related to your military service...".

[Chuck75]

In this situation, I would be tempted to take copies of the Veteran's DD214, the Award citations, and the personnel records (DA 20) to the nearest Congressman and Senator.

I'd also ask if this might amount to a "CUE" situation. I know that this one would be absolutely hysterical if the news media got involved.

Thanks for everyone's help.

Yes, the purple hearts show on his DD214. It shows as "Purple Heart w/2d OLC". The orders for PH #2 & PH#3 show - Award of the Purple Heart, First Oak Leaf Cluster and Second Oak Leaf Cluster.

As I read Carlie's link on the Purple Heart in WikipediA, I read paragraph B-2 and wonder if the VA is not recognizing his Purple Hearts as proof of his wounds because nothing mentioned in his medical records.

We have never found anything in his service medical records regarding the gunshot wound & the burns. He was not hospitalized for either the burns or gunshot wound, he was treated in the field and went back to fighting. He said the burns were not 3rd degree burns, the medic put ointment on it and bandaged it and like I said he went back to fighting. My husband questions whether the medics would keep good records when they are treating so many wounded in the field. His wounds though are listed in his personnel record on form DA20 -- Enlisted Qualification Record and it also gives the date which corresponds to the date of the PH's.

There are no scars from the burns - he does have a 3 or 4 inch scar on his forearm from the gunshot wound. It's just such a slap in the face that the VA doesn't service connect these 2 when he was awarded the PH. They state in the rating decision "We determined the following condition(s) were not related to your military service...".