MIDDLE EAST MONTIOR reports on the Pentagon being caught fudging figures:
The US defence department has withdrawn a part of an official report to Congress after wrongly claiming responsibility for killing 21 civilians in Iraq and Syria who were instead killed by American allies.
The Pentagon admitted its mistake on Thursday after a review of its findings, and the report is no longer available on its website.
[. . .]
Airwars, which tracks "civilian harm from airpower-dominated international military actions", alerted the defence department about the error in early June, and on 5 August, the Pentagon released an addendum that removed those nine incidents.
"The text and table in the report provided in May 2021 … should be omitted and replaced because only two of the eleven incidents on the original table were 'attributed to the use of US-operated weapons'," the addendum said.
Another problem for Joe Biden's administration? August 7th has already passed on the east coast. Here on the west coast, we've got a few hours left on August 7th but I really doubt, in the next few hours, the White House will issued a proclamation.
August 7th, for those who don't know, was National Purple Heart Day. Earlier today, Arizona's KGUN reported:
It’s National Purple Heart Day.
There are hundreds of recipients in Southern Arizona. Nearly 200 are members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 442.
From 1966 to 1969, Michael Dyer was in the army serving overseas.
“It was an honor and a duty to serve,” said Dyer. “I was wounded three times in Vietnam.”
As a result of shedding blood for our country on foreign soil, he was awarded three Purple Hearts.
“When you’re alive it makes you even more cognizant of the men and women that didn’t come home,” he said.
Wyoming's WNEP noted:
Veterans and the community gathered at the Wyoming County Courthouse in Tunkhannock on Saturday.
The ceremony featured the unveiling of Purple Heart Parking Spots for recipients.
Purple Hearts are awarded to the brave men and women who were either wounded on the battlefield or paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives.
August 7 is Purple Heart Day, which commemorates men and women who wounded or killed by an opposing armed forces during military service.
At Fort Leonard Wood, more than 70 current Soldiers and countless other service members, prior-service Defense Department civilians and military retirees in the community are Purple Heart recipients.
It seems many people know how it’s earned and that it is the oldest military award still given to service members, but here are a few more pieces of information that are perhaps less well known.
George Washington
The profile on the front of the Purple Heart is Gen. George Washington, who established the Badge of Military Merit — the precursor to the Purple Heart — in 1782, when he was commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. The Badge of Military Merit was awarded to three Revolutionary War Soldiers by Washington himself, and although never abolished, it was not proposed again officially until after World War I. The modern Purple Heart was first issued on the bicentennial of Washington's birthday by War Department General Order No. 3, dated February 22, 1932 — Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Army chief of staff at the time, received the first Purple Heart.
Ten Purple Hearts
While many service members have received multiple Purple Hearts, only three people have received 10 of them. Charles Barger, who was born and raised in Missouri, was assigned to the 354th Infantry Regiment, 89th Division in France during World War I. In addition to his Purple Hearts, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by Gen. John Pershing. William White served 11 years in the Marine Corps before joining the Army in 1941. He received nine Purple Hearts while serving in Europe in World War II and one while serving in the Korean War. Curry Haynes received his 10 Purple Hearts for wounds he received while serving in the Army in 1967 and 1968, in Vietnam.
One U.S. president
Navy veteran John Kennedy is the only U.S. president to have received a Purple Heart, after he sustained a back injury when a Japanese destroyer sunk his patrol torpedo boat near the Solomon Islands during World War II. Incidentally, his brother, Joseph, also received a Purple Heart posthumously for his service in World War II. While Kennedy is the only president to receive a Purple Heart, both Roosevelts — presidents Franklin Delano and Theodore — had sons who received Purple Hearts.
Non-human awardees
Two dogs — Chips and Sergeant Stubby — each received Purple Hearts for wounds they received in World War II. During the Korean War, a horse named Sergeant Reckless was awarded two Purple Hearts. Award criteria no longer allows for service animals to receive the same medals earned by human service members, but they can still earn prestigious non-profit animal organization awards. The Dickin Medal, for example, is presented by a British animal welfare organization called the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals. It is considered the equivalent of the Victoria Cross — the highest award in Great Britain — for animals. Lucca, a Marine Corps military working dog who completed more than 400 missions while serving in Afghanistan, is a Dickin Medal recipient.
Other Purple Heart awards
Some U.S. states and law enforcement agencies have their own versions of the Purple Heart. Texas has the Star of Texas Award, given to peace officers, firefighters and emergency first responders who are killed or suffer serious injury in the line of duty. Iowa has a Law Enforcement Purple Heart Medal for law enforcement officers who have been seriously wounded or killed in the line of duty as a result of a combat incident. The Drug Enforcement Agency’s Purple Heart Award is given to individuals who lost their lives or were seriously injured enforcing the drug laws of the United States.
Over at the homophobic MUST READ ALASKA, hag Suzanne Downing wants you to know that, back in June -- months ago -- the White House noted Pride month but did nothing today for Purple Hearts Day.
Suzie, you stupid ____, what the honest f**k?
Your homophobia runs deep. In the last days, the White House has announced many days. You din't have to go to Pride Month unless you're just a hateful little bitch who hates gay people. What's the matter, Suzie, all the men in your life turn you down? Can't say I'm surprised.
Take your personal issues and your hate somewhere else though.
Does the bitch not know the name Leonard Matlovich? He was awarded the Purple Heart. The Vietnam War veteran also was awarded a Bronze Star. And he was on the cover of TIME magazine in September of 1975.
There's Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient Robert Stout. He didn't retire from the military. He was forced out, after receiving a Purple Heart. Forced out? He refused to stay in the closet so he was discharged. Suzie insults him with her garbage.
There's Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient Eric Alva who is gay. For Memorial Day in 2005, former Marine Staff Sgt Alva wrote for THE ADVOCATE:
Today is Memorial Day, and most everyone is enjoying their long weekend with family and friends. I do that too, but I also reflect on what Memorial Day really means. Memorial Day is about the ultimate sacrifice our men and women have paid so we can live free and enjoy holiday weekends like these. Memorial Day is a day to pay respect to all those who have ever lost their lives in battle, and for those who like me, also lost body parts while fighting for the freedom this country enjoys. I also hope we remember and honor the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender service members who have long been in our ranks since this country’s independence in 1776; LGBT military members haves worn the uniform through every battle we've fought.
Today, I will especially reflect on every single LGBT service member no longer with us. One in particular is Charles Stevens of Decatur, Ga. Charles was a gay veteran of the United States Navy who served in World War II and the Korean conflict. Charles was a longtime member of the Georgia Chapter of American Veterans for Equal Rights, as well as a gay activist. Charles passed away a couple of weeks ago, but I was so fortunate and blessed to have met him last year. Another veteran who will always be dear to my heart, even though I never met him, is Leonard Matlovich. Leonard, like me, is a Purple Heart recipient. Appearing on the cover of Time in 1975, Leonard was the first to put a face and name to LGBT people serving in our military. There are thousands and thousands more LGBT service members like Charles and Leonard that we must never forget.
There are probably many others. I'm not a historian. Those are three Purple Heart recipients I know of. Suzanne insults them and, honestly, the whole human race with her intolerance and hatred.
Suzanne Downing, you have a tiny mind and an even smaller heart.
Your whole purpose was to try to outrage your right wing comrades over the fact that gay pride was noted by the White House months ago but that Purple Hearts Day was ignored. I get it, you're a hateful bigot and the world will be a better place when you finally die. But in the meantime, dear, the world can't afford your hatred. Or your stupidity. When you try to lift up the Purple Hearts community by demeaning LGBTQs, you ignore the reality that some Purple Heart recipients were and are gay.
As the red-header girl on KIDS IN THE HALL used to say, "It's a fact."
Yes, it's awful that this president forgot to make a proclamation on National Purple Heart Day. But you don't have to spit on the gay community to make that point.
Purple Heart recipients deserved better, gay people deserved better, humanity deserved better.
The following sites updated:
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President Kennedy15 hours ago
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Trapped In Diplomatic Limbo1 day ago
