# Marine has purple heart taken away..



## chaos75 (25 Jan 2005)

Injured Marine Has Purple Heart Taken Away
Dept. Of Defense Says Ferrell Injured In Truck Crash, Not Explosion

POSTED: 5:51 pm PST January 24, 2005
UPDATED: 7:52 am PST January 25, 2005

VACAVILLE, Calif. -- The U.S. Department of Defense is facing increasing criticism following its decision to remove the Purple Heart given to a Vacaville Marine. 

Lt. Dustin Ferrell (pictured, left), 26, was riding in a huge convoy that was invading Iraq in 2003 when his Humvee seemingly exploded. The driver was killed, and three Marines were seriously injured, including Ferrell. 

"My jaw, all of that, was just splintered," Ferrell said. "Because of that, I had swelling that required a tracheotomy. (I had a) bruised lung, and I dislocated my left hip. I lost 14 of my teeth, and I lost vision in my right eye." 

Unable to speak or breathe on his own, Ferrell -- a former student at Vacaville High School -- received a surprise from Gen. William Nyland, who awarded him the Purple Heart. 

"That was one of the biggest things. I knew I was going to live. I knew my life was changed, but I was pretty proud at that point," Ferrell said. 

Then in December, letters from the U.S. Department of Defense said that the explosion wasn't an enemy bomb, but a collision with a five-ton Army truck. Subsequently, Ferrell's Purple Heart was revoked because the injury didn't result directly from combat. 

"He sustained injuries that almost cost him his life, and to me, that warranted a Purple Heart. But to have them take it back away from him, I don't understand why," said Vicky Huston Isgrigg, Ferrell's mother. 

Now, at least one congressman and several veterans groups are raising questions and writing protest letters on behalf of Farrell. They want to see his Purple Heart restored. 

"I think he was injured in combat, which reflects why he was given the medal in the first place," said Ken Kimseu, spokesman for Disabled American Veterans. 

Meanwhile, Ferrell -- who is stationed at Fort Lejeune, N.C. -- is still undergoing surgeries to rebuild his mouth. 



Isnt that a nice kick in the butt....


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## winchable (25 Jan 2005)

That's cold, even if they decide they're wrong in the first place, they shouldn't have ever taken it back.


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## karl28 (25 Jan 2005)

I agree its very cold hearted to do that to a soldier who was wounded in a war zone they should give it back to him and apologize .


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## purple peguin (25 Jan 2005)

ouch! I deffinentaly think he deserved that and it was very wrong for them to take it away.


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## Bruce Monkhouse (25 Jan 2005)

You might think SOMEONE along the line would at least think,....hmmmm, public ramifications?


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## Big Foot (25 Jan 2005)

Ain't that a kick in the junk. Not going to be a popular decision, methinks.


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## CBH99 (25 Jan 2005)

I'm not trying to sound Anti-American, seeing how I've heard that in the past it takes a while for medals to be awarded here in Canada...

But isn't that a great reward from good ol' Uncle Sam?  Go off to a far away land, risk your life in the name of our foreign policy, let us reward you for your efforts and near loss of life....then....let us take that medal away from you, because we had the technical details wrong when we first gave it to you!

At the VERY least - they should let him keep the heart...


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## Gouki (25 Jan 2005)

May not have happened in combat per se, but he was still over there, doing his duty, and got seriously injured in the process..

I think that .. if they had known this at first, that they would have been justified in not giving him the Purple Heart due to the combat requirement and such - I can understand that aspect. But to take it back from him afterwards?

He was injured pretty bad, and while it may have bent the rules a slight bit, I don't think it would hurt to let the poor guy keep it.


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## George Wallace (25 Jan 2005)

Can we chalk this one up as an Administrative Foul Up and get on with it.  Someone, in a hurry, awarded him an award that he was not entitled to.  When they found out they corrected their mistake.  If they were to present me with the Super 7 prize for Fridays draw, and I didn't have a ticket, do you think they would let me keep it?  A little far fetched, and way out in left field, but it amounts to the same.

GW


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## the 48th regulator (25 Jan 2005)

Blarney, for sure, but sorry GW, if you consider the fact that he won the purple heart as being considered hitting the jackpot, well then call me up and I will slam your face with a sledge hammer first. But,  Before that, I will dangle you by your feet from a skyscraper, so we can have the heart a pumping away leaving you unsure of your fate.

He wasn't out on a cruise in his buddies convertable at the time, he was in a combat zone, where the danger was there.  The enemy sure has hell didn't kill this marine, so why should some PONTI try and kill his spirit.

truly a effen shame, for sure.

tess


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## George Wallace (25 Jan 2005)

According to the criteria of awarding the Purple Heart, although he was in a combat zone, he was injured in an automobile accident, not a result of enemy actions.  They screwed up.  Yes, it is heartless to go and take it back, but.......

Case in point.  Last US election.  Look at the controversy that arose out of Sen Keary's award of the Purple Heart.  Was it for catching a sliver of wood or a wound in combat?  

I don't see many of us getting decorations for similar things.  We have only just recently reinstituted the "Wound Stripe".

I suppose it is a slow news day.

GW


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## CBH99 (25 Jan 2005)

Despite whatever technicalities are present - he was injured to an unbelievable extent.  Blinded in one eye, dislocated hip, broken ribs -- I can't remember what else, but he got pretty damn injured from whatever happened over there.  He was sent to Iraq, he did his duty, he served his country, and he nearly died while on the march to Baghdad (That is when it happened, correct?)  He deserves it, plain and simple.

And, I know you've already been chastised for it once GW - but winning the Super 7, and nearly getting killed while overseas, are two different things.  If they gave you the prize money from the Super 7 draw by accident, realized it, and took it back - fair enough.  Out of principle, they would probably allow you to keep a tolkien gesture.  But going overseas for your country, and nearly getting blown to pieces is SLIGHTLY different.  Face it, whether you admit it or not:  If you went to Iraq, did your duty faithfully, nearly got killed, have to suffer a lifetime of pain and suffering as a result of your injuries - then Canada took away whatever medal it awarded you because of an administrative tweak - you'd be royally pissed and offended too.

 :warstory:


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## MikeM (26 Jan 2005)

It's a shame to see something like this happen to someone who has been already seriously wounded physically, this revoking of the medal really wounds the man emotionally as well.


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## Infanteer (26 Jan 2005)

I'm going to side with George on this one.  The soldier in question was injured while on deployment (not by enemy fire) - he is entitled to many things - recognition for being in a warzone with a campaign medal, full pension for any serious wounds he received during the car accident - but he was not wounded by enemy fire and is not eligible for the award.

I'm not to sure I would feel up to wearing a medal knowing that I never rated the award.  Should we start giving wound stripes to guys who get into fender-benders with crazy Bosnians (In which case, I would rate one, I guess....)?


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## 043 (26 Jan 2005)

I agree. Usually rule and regulations are black and white. Obviously the regs state that he isn't entitled to it so therefore, he isn't entitled to it.

Lets not forget about the person (and more specifically those in the chain of command who pushed the issue) who gave it to him............he is more at fault then the individual who took it back.

Buddy has his life, he shouldn't sweat a medal. I am sure VA will do something for the guy.

Chimo!


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## Jarnhamar (27 Jan 2005)

On the other side of the coin.
Theres been many accidents in iraq, some of which cost american soldiers their lives. If this soldier was allowed to keep the medal which he is not technically entitled to I think that would open the door for other soldiers wounded and killed in accidents to argue that they should get the medal as well.


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## qjdb (14 Feb 2005)

Ghost778 said:
			
		

> ...I think that would open the door for other soldiers ...killed in accidents to argue that they should get the medal as well.



ROTFL sorry, this just made me laugh.  I know, you probably meant next of kin, or whatever, but, I was just getting images of ghosts haunting the halls of the Pentagon (which I can imagine that they are already doing).

Not trying to be disrespectful to any soldiers or anything, just laughing at the images this conjured up.

For the record, I agree that he shouldn't get the P.H., but he should get something.   I just don't know the American award system enough to suggest what.   At the very least, some kind of recognition, and a 'whoops, we screwed up' letter (which he probably got, I guess)

Quentin


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## dutchie (14 Feb 2005)

I gotta side with the US Government on this one (a first for me on this site).

He didn't qualify for it, and shouldn't get it. Turn the tables for a moment. If a soldier is injured and didn't get the Purple Heart, but it was determined later that he was entitled, would you not expect the Government to change it's mind and give it to him?

Also, is it just me or does anyone else find the Purple Heart to be a bit of an 'odd' decoration? Doesn't it say more about the enemy's marksmanship than anything else?
No disrespect intended, of course.


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