The Daily Background

Listen to this:

Korean War veteran Nyles Reed, 75, opened an envelope last week to learn a Purple Heart had been approved for injuries he sustained as a Marine on June 22, 1952.

But there was no medal. Just a certificate and a form stating that the medal was “out of stock.”

“I can imagine, of course, with what’s going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, there’s a big shortage,” Reed said. “At least, I would imagine so.”

The form letter from the Navy Personnel Command told Reed he could wait 90 days and resubmit an application, or buy his own medal.

After waiting 55 years, however, Reed decided to pay $42 for his own Purple Heart and accompanying ribbon — plus state sales taxes — at a military surplus store.
[…]
Maj. J. DeLaRosa, a media affairs officer for the Marines at the Pentagon, couldn’t believe Reed received only the certificate.

“That’s unacceptable. ‘Out of stock’? That’s like saying, ‘We’re out of ammo.’ That’s like saying ‘The Marines are going to close tomorrow.’ It just seems a bit weird,” DeLaRosa said. “There have been a lot of guys wounded, but not to the point that we’re out of medals.”

The Department of Defense estimates that 29,098 troops have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan through Thursday.

Phew. He wrote letters to the White House and the Marines Corps and apparently got no help, although he will now get an official Purple Heart, thanks to the help of Senator John Cornyn (R-TX).

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