Combat vets ‘awarded’ Purple Heart

This letter is in response to Mr. Thomas Steveley’s Aug. 26 letter over his use of just one word in his letter.

This response in no way reflects my opinion regarding Mr. Steveley’s position regarding Donald Trump, only his use of one word and that word is “win.”

I, too, am a combat veteran of Vietnam (USMC), having served two tours of duty there, and I am combat wounded and have been “awarded” the Purple Heart medal.

Mr. Steveley used the word “win” in describing those who have been “awarded” the Purple Heart for wounds suffered in combat, having had their blood stain the soil of a faraway nation. One must either be killed in action or wounded in action.

To “win” should reference a competitive match (sports, elections, bake-offs, etc.) where the intent is to “win” that competition. The use of the word “win” a Purple Heart is a common error, especially in the media. There is no one who sets out, while being a member of the U.S. military, to “win” the Purple Heart. To think anyone would expose themselves unnecessarily while under fire to “win” the Purple Heart is non-existent.

So, if you meet a recipient of the Purple Heart or see a license plate showing the medal, know full well that this person never had the intent of “winning” the medal; rather, they earned it in a very difficult fashion and were “awarded” the medal. They have become a “recipient” of our nation’s oldest military decoration, established by George Washington during the Revolutionary War.

I certainly take no offense to Mr. Steveley’s use of the word “win.” I fully understand his meaning.

Semper Fi.

This story was originally published September 7, 2016 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Combat vets ‘awarded’ Purple Heart."