Members of Company A, 803rd Engineers awarded the CIB.
Robert
Robert,
The letter is unsigned, undated, and carries no official letterhead. It would be very helpful if you could supply this information.
As someone who deals with non-infantry veterans wanting a CIB, I can attest to the controversy such requests raise among infantry veterans who earned the award. As Gen. Marshall said, it was the only special thing the infantryman could hold up and say was his, so I am not generally in favor of handing out the award to men who fought as infantrymen for a few days, or in some cases, weeks. For example, on my bulletin board is a photo of an infantryman who first entered combat in N. Africa, and was fortunate enought to have survived Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, S. France, Nordwind, and so on with only a couple of Purple Hearts to show for his troubles. He told me his CIB means more to him than anything else the army gave him, and I think he earned it fair and square.
I am equally certain there are special exceptions that should be honored by the Army, but sincerely hope they are kept to the bare minimum in order not to dilute Gen. Marshall's original intent.
Robert, How goes your campaign to obtain Purple Hearts for former POWs who became ill or were injured during captivity?
Jim