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Q260: I was injured by what was believed to be a phosphorus bomb and shrapnel in my back from a Viet Cong parachute bomb. Military police and a medic near the scene treated my injuries and sent me back in the fight. A VA doctor has recently examined the injury to my back and determined my injury still remains a hindrance to my well being and causes me lots of trouble. The problem is I have no record of the injury when it happened. I was told by a few veterans I should have gotten a Purple Heart. How do I go about getting a Purple Heart for this injury without proof?
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A1: The PH orders have to be written and sumitted by the attending doctor at the time of treatment. (RG) 10/8/19
A2: I served two combat tours of duty in Viet-Nam and I never heard of Viet-Cong parachute bombs. Your claim sounds like a REMF trying to get a combat decoration. What REMF MOS did you have? and why didn't you join the Infantry to fight? (KS) 10/8/19
A3: I was hit by in the forearm with a piece of debree from an incoming rocket on the airstrip in Vungtau Vietnam in 1970 while hauling guards in a duce and one half. The SGT of The Guard just told me that since I was able to pull the piece of the rocket out of my arm that we just needed to pour plenty of alcohol on it. It would not heal because of all of the human waste that the VC pour all over their rockets that I had to go to the infirmary. I was given a shot and hydrogen peroxide to pour in it regularly. I never received a Purple Heart and was even classified as non combat at the VA. I have all of my information on my DD-214 definitely stating that I was stationed in Vietnam but had to get someone that saw me there to email the VA Rep. I did not even know what a purple heart was. It sounds like you deserve a Purple Heart if anyone does. I did have in my records that my forearm was treated for a cut on my fore arm with peroxide but no mention of a shot and very vague. I have seen so many people that have major medical problems that never made it in their medical records. (LL) 10/8/19
A4: If there are witnesses that you are or can contact have them write a statement that they were present at the time of the injury and file to have records corrected. (ML) 10/8/19