Would a shark attack victim be eligible for the Purple Heart?

[Elderberry]

Navy Times by Barbara Salazar Torreon 12/15/2019

Q: During World War II, many U.S. ships were sunk due to enemy action. If a sailor had entered the water with no wounds and a shark bit him before rescue came, would he be awarded a Purple Heart? Likewise, were any soldiers fighting in the jungle awarded the Purple Heart if they were attacked by an animal or bitten by a poisonous viper while on patrol or in a foxhole?

A: The issue of who is — or isn’t — eligible to receive the Purple Heart is an interesting and occasionally contentious one.

The basic tenet, as cited by Executive Order 11016, is that to be eligible a serviceman must have been killed or wounded “in action against an opposing armed force of a foreign country in which U.S. Armed Forces are or have been engaged.”

The bottom line is that, although an argument can be made that servicemen attacked by animals while in combat situations are “in action,” they are not eligible for the Purple Heart unless they are injured or killed from direct enemy engagement.

Servicemen on a torpedoed ship would indeed be eligible for a Purple Heart if they had been injured directly by the explosion — but not if, as in the scenario described by reader Goodwin, they weren’t hurt until they were already in the water.

The criteria have evolved since the award was created in its current form by Army Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur in 1932 (who revived the older and long-disused Badge of Military Merit created by George Washington in 1782).

Originally, only members of the army were eligible; President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the award to include members of all military branches in 1942. Twenty years later, President John F. Kennedy further extended eligibility so that civilians fighting under a sovereign foreign government could also be honored for their sacrifice, though in 1998 that rule was reversed.

Eligibility criteria have since expanded again to include those killed or injured from international terrorist acts either abroad or on American soil.

More: https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2019/12/16/would-a-shark-attack-victim-be-eligible-for-the-purple-heart/

[sneakypete]

@Elderberry

There is more than one answer.

Sticking strictly to the letter of the law,the answer is "NO!" The WOUND MUST be as a result of enemy fire. If you trip and fall down while charging the enemy and break an arm,too bad. The injury is not a wound and was caused by your falling down,NOT as a result of enemy fire.

The "real life" answer is "Not really,but it all depends on who you are." Colin Powell got a CIB for being a passenger in a helicopter in VN what crashed due to mechanical failure. Had nothing to do with enemy fire. He was a staff officer flying to a briefing.

John Wayne Kerry wrote up and awarded himself all 3 of the Purple Hearts he was awarded in VN so he wouldn't have to serve a full year. There was a military regulation back then that after 3 wounds you would automatically be send back to the US. ALL of Kerry's "wounds" scabbed over and quit bleeding on their own. No hospitalization required.

I don't know this for a personal fact,but I have been told,and believe,that certain West Point Infantry branch officers working on staffs in VN because they were VERY bright staff officers were given CIB's because they were infantry branch officers,and an infantry branch officer that left VN without a CIB could never hope to be promoted. Though no fault of their own,they never saw combat,but were awarded combat awards so their careers wouldn't be hurt.

BTW,some units took these awards more seriously than others. The regulations state that to qualify to be awarded a Combat Infantryman's Badge you had to be assigned to an infantry unit int he role of an infantryman,AND both be fired at and return fire. I had a friend in VN that was running SOG recon missions into Laos and Cambodia,and had STILL not been awarded a CIB after running several missions and being fired on. He didn't get to return fire to qualify for a CIB because he was on a recon team,and the NVA were firing blind to try to discover where the team was by having them return fire. I don't know if he ever got one because I left VN shortly after the second time,and I never saw him again.

Hell,our camp commander was a Lt Colonel that didn't have a CIB because he was a tanker in the Korean War,and volunteered to run a recon mission with RT California and carry the radio if the team leader would allow him to go out with the team. This is a Lt Col asking a SSG E-6 for permission to carry his radio. He went,and the microphone got shot out of his hand as he was talking to me on the radio,and giving me the noon sitrep. He EARNED his CIB.

BTW,McArthur is said to have awarded himself a Medal of Honor during WW-1,and put himself in for another one during WW-2 for "leading the defense of the Philipines". That one was turned down because he was obviously never involved in personal combat in the Philipines. The closest he came was escaping in a PT boat before the Japanese took it,leaving behind is adjutant to surrender to the Japanese and take the shame for surrendering.

IIRC,McArthur already had 2 MoH's when he put himself in for the 3rd one. I don't remember the history of any of them,but as a senior officer in WW-1 it is VERY unlikely he ever earned any of them.

[Smokin Joe]

The quick answer is "no", unless the shark is an enemy combatant.

My father lost one of his then three purple hearts from Korea when it was discovered the tank round that wounded him and killed some in his squad came from an American tank. No matter how unfriendly 'friendly fire' is, the event did not qualify.

[GtHawk]

Depends. John Kerry would say if this shark lacerated his pinkie then the answer for him is yes.