[Aliska]

and can only come up with a Kerry initiated request for replacement medals.

Would the Navy be likely to issue replacement medals to someone who threw theirs away? Somebody slip a replacement request through without knowing the particulars? Strange business no matter how you cut it.

If there were replacement medals, the paperwork leading up to that would be of interest how it was spun.

[kabar]

Exactly. We don't have all of the paperwork. Kerry is so obsessed with his military record that he updated his decorations in March 2001 (DD215). Many of us could do that, especially with Unit citations, but there would be no real point in doing so. It really says something about Kerry's behavior, which goes beyond odd.

Re your point about replacing medals for those who threw them away, I doubt if Kerry would have given that as an explanation. Also, if he was a Senator or Lt. Governor at the time, I think the Navy would accommodate him just for PR and Congressional support.