Purple Heart? Military Wives, Help!

[destinee_115]

I'm sure I could look this up somewhere, but I'm hoping to get this straight from the horses mouth..  or their riders anyhow..  (ok, I did NOT mean that as dirty as it sounds..  moving on...)

My husbands grandfather just passed away, and he inherited his war metals..  he has a whole casefull including a Purple Heart, because "he lived through Pearl Harbor" Thats all the explanation we have, and it got me thinking.. 

MY grandfather (who died 10 years ago..  I get his war medals too, after my grandma passes..) he ALSO has a Purple Heart from the Korean War...  however..  we don't know why.  He would never speak of it..  even my grandmother doesn't know..  Actually, until his funeral, I was unaware he had one, as it wasn't actual IN the display case, but rather, pinned to the back of it..

So..  my question is..  what exactly do they reward them for?  And why would he have taken his reason to the grave with him...Also..  when I come to possess his medals..  should I leave it on the back? Or display it?  Its supposed to be something to be proud of, right?

Help me out military wives! I feel rather stupid....

[mommamiller0809]

Nov. 10, 2008 at 7:10 PM

As far as I know, many men did not want to talk about their purple hearts because it was a reminder that they were one of the only ones to return out of the hundreds of men they deployed with.  This one man, Guy something, got his honorary diploma 60 years later with my graduating class.  He had been called up, and was on a ship when they were attacked.  8 men survived and he received 2 purple hearts for it.  He rescued 5 men, and one of those men saved 2 more.  He cried talking about it and even 60 years later you could still feel the pain he was in.

The purple heart is only given to those wounded by an action of war.  Maybe your grandfather was a POW?  I would leave it the way he did - there, but not forgotten.  :)

[RugersMommy06]

Nov. 10, 2008 at 7:47 PM

They receive it for wounds sustained in combat. Their families will receive the medal if they are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration.

[CorbinsMomma]

Nov. 10, 2008 at 8:26 PM

They get a purple heart for being injured in combat

[lvnmygrlz]

Nov. 10, 2008 at 9:06 PM

There is a website that says who got a purple heart medal and why they received it, my husband said that he will ask at work tomorrow and Ill get back to you.  He also said that out of respect he would leave the medal pinned where it is, cause thats where he wanted it.