1996 Flashback: BEHIND THE HOOTCH - DID KERRY COMMIT A WAR CRIME?

If that is even legal. I don't see how it is unless Kerry dies.

Vince Foster
Ron Brown
Jim McDougal

The more I hear about this self-agrandizing loser, the more it scares me that he could rise to the ranks of US senator, let alone president. However, it finally looks as though the wheels could be coming off.

Thanks for posting the old article (I got the rest from the online public library). It's interesting that the questions asked a decade ago still haven't been answered.

There are 3 citations on Kerry's website for the Silver Star, signed by Zumwalt, Hyland, and Lehman. Given the date in office, Lehman's had to be signed many years after the initial award. The language of the Lehman citation is identical to that from Hyland, with the exception of the embellished language at the end (starting at bold text below). The text of the Zumwalt citation, presumably the original, has considerably more detail than is included excluded in the Hyland/Lehman version.

Below is a recreation (scanned and proofed to the best of my ability) of the 3 Silver Star Citations, with links to the source of the PDF file.

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www.johnkerry.com/pdf/jkmilservice/militaryrecords_1.pdf (9 page PDF file)
PDF Pages 7-8

COMMANDER
UNITED STATES NAVAL FORCES
VIETNAM
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to

JOHN FORBES KERRY
LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE
UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE

for service as set forth in the following:
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Officer in Charge of United States Navy Patrol Craft Fast 94 and Officer in Tactical Command of an operation in the Republic of Vietnam. On 28 February 1969, Patrol Craft Fast 23, 43 and 94, in conjunction with Underwater Demolition Team 13 and Vietnamese Regional and Popular Forces personnel, conducted an operation on the Cau Mau Peninsula as part of Operations SEA LORDS. While transiting the Bay Hap River en route to an insertion point along the Dong Cung River, these craft with thirty Regional/Popular Force personnel embarked in each unit came under heavy enemy small arms fire from the river banks. The Officer in Tactical Command, Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY directed his units to turn to the beach and charge the Viet Cong positions. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY expertly directed the fire of his craft at the fleeing enemy while simultaneously coordinating the insertion of the embarked troops. While the Regional and Popular Forces conducted an area sweep, Patrol Craft Fast 43 remained on station to provide fire support and Patrol Craft Fast 23 and 94 moved upstream to investigate an area from which gunshots were coming. Arriving at the area, Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY's craft received a B-40 rocket close aboard. Once again Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY ordered his units to charge the enemy positions and summoned Patrol Craft Fast 43 to the area to provide additional firepower. Patrol Craft Fast 94 then beached in the center of the enemy positions and an enemy soldier sprang up from his position not ten feet from Patrol Craft Fast 94 and fled. Without hesitation Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY leaped ashore, pursued the man behind a hootch and killed him, capturing a B-40 rocket launcher with a round in the chamber. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY then led an assault party and conducted a sweep of the area while the Patrol Craft Fast continued to provide fire support. After the enemy had been completely routed, all personnel returned to the Patrol Craft Fast to withdraw from the area. While backing off the beach, these units again came under a hail of fire, this time from the opposite river bank. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY immediately coordinated the firepower of his units and suppressed the enemy fire. Later, after disembarking personnel and while exiting from the Bay Hap River, the Patrol Craft Fast were again taken under fire. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY immediately maneuvered his craft through several strafing runs which completely silenced the enemy. As a result of this operation, ten Viet Cong were killed and one wounded with no friendly casualties. In addition, numerous sampans, structures and bunkers were destroyed as well as confiscation of substantial quantities of combat essential supplies. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY's devotion to duty, courage under fire, outstanding leadership, and exemplary professionalism directly contributed to the success of this operation and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

For the President
[signature]
E. R. ZUMWALT, Jr.
Vice Admiral, U. S. Navy
Commander U. S. Naval Forces, Vietnam

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www.johnkerry.com/pdf/jkmilservice/Silver_Star.pdf (2 Page PDF File)
PDF Page 1

COMMANDER IN CHIEF
UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to:

Lieutenant (junior grade) John Forbes Kerry
United States Naval Reserve
for service as set forth in the following

CITATION
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Coastal Division ELEVEN engaged in armed conflict with Viet Cong insurgents in An Xuyen Province, Republic of Vietnam on 28 February 1969. Lieutenant (jg) KERRY was serving as Officer in Charge of Patrol Craft Fast 94 and Officer in Tactical Command of a three-boat unit engaged in inserting Vietnamese regional force troops on a reconnaissance in force mission. As the force approached the target area on the narrow Dong Cung River, all units came under intense automatic weapons and small arms fire from an entrenched enemy force less than fifty feet away. Unhesitatingly, Lieutenant (jg) Kerry ordered his boat to attack as all units opened fire and beached directly in front of the enemy ambushers. This daring and courageous tactic surprised the enemy and succeeded in routing a score of enemy soldiers. The PCF gunners captured many enemy weapons in the battle that followed. On a request upon U.S. Army advisors ashore, Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY ordered PFCs 94 and 23 further up river to suppress enemy sniper fire. After proceeding approximately eight hundred yards, the boats were again taken underfire from a heavily foliated area and a B-40 rocket exploded close aboard PCF 94. With utter disregard for his own safety and the enemy rockets, he again ordered a charge on the enemy, beached his boat only ten feet from the VC rocket position, and personally led a landing party ashore in pursuit of the enemy. Upon sweeping the area, an immediate search uncovered an enemy rest and supply area which was destroyed. The extraordinary daring and personal courage of Lieutenant (jg) KERRY in attacking a numerically superior force in the face of intense fire were responsible for the highly successful mission. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

For the President
[signature]
JOHN J. HYLAND
Admiral, U.S. Navy
Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet

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www.johnkerry.com/pdf/jkmilservice/Silver_Star.pdf (2 Page PDF File)
PDF Page 2

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
WASHINGTON
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER STAR MEDAL to

LIEUTENANT (JUNIOR GRADE) JOHN F. KERRY
UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Coastal Division ELEVEN engaged in armed conflict with Viet Cong insurgents in An Xuyen Province, Republic of Vietnam on 28 February 1969. Lieutenant (jg) KERRY was serving as Officer in Charge of Patrol Craft Fast 94 and Officer in Tactical Command of a three-boat unit engaged in inserting Vietnamese regional force troops on a reconnaissance in force mission. As the force approached the target area on the narrow Dong Cung River, all units came under intense automatic weapons and small arms fire from an entrenched enemy force less than fifty feet away. Unhesitatingly, Lieutenant (jg) KERRY ordered his boat to attack as all units opened fire and beached directly in front of the enemy ambushers. This daring and courageous tactic surprised the enemy and succeeded in routing a score of enemy soldiers. The PCF gunners captured many enemy weapons in the battle that followed. On a request upon U.S. Army advisors ashore, he ordered PFCs 94 and 23 further up river to suppress enemy sniper fire. After proceeding approximately eight hundred yards, the boats were again taken underfire from a heavily foliated area and a B-40 rocket exploded. close aboard PCF 94. With utter disregard for his own safety and the enemy rockets, he again ordered a charge on the enemy, beached his boat only ten feet from the VC rocket position, and personally led a landing party ashore in pursuit of the enemy. Upon sweeping the area, an immediate search uncovered an enemy rest and supply area which was destroyed. The extraordinary daring and personal courage of Lieutenant (jg) Kerry in attacking a numerically superior force in the face of intense fire were responsible for the highly successful mission. By his brave action, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant (jg) Kerry reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. By his brave action, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant (jg) Kerry reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

For the President,
[signature]
Secretary of the Navy
John Lehman

Ping... Text of 3 Silver Star Citations... in case anyone wants to compare.

I'm not sure why there are 3 versions of the same silver star?

Chris Matthews launched into a personal attack at the author of "Unfit to Command" on Hardball.

The lack of intellectual curiosity on the left (known for emotion and hate) is astounding.

What a great reply. Puts the human in humanity.

>>I'm not sure why there are 3 versions of the same silver star?

Me neither. Is it customary to issue more than one citation for the same medal?

There are 2 versions of his bronze star (one by Zumwalt and Lehman), but those are basically identical (with the exception of some embellished language at the end of the Lehman version.) And again, these were issued many years apart.

My biggest curiosity is regarding the Zumwalt vs. Hyland versions of the Silver Star. Was there something controversial in the first version that motivated issuance of a new revised version shortly after issuance of the first?

"Is it customary to issue more than one citation for the same medal?"

Not that I aware of.

No. I don't know about the Navy, but any official record that is amended or a replacement of an original must state that. Usually the new one will be on a different form sometimes with a dash one or two designation or possibly a B after the number for an original. Example would be say an original form is a DD-6969 ( Department of Defense ) titled "Stubbed Toe Medal Citation". An form for an amendment to the original could be a DD-6969-1. A replacement would be a DD-6969-B. It doesn't work that way for all forms, but that is a general rule.

"Below is a recreation (scanned and proofed to the best of my ability) of the 3 Silver Star Citations, with links to the source of the PDF file."

Thanks a lot for that. In a discussion on another board, I was using Zumwalt's citation and someone else referred to Lehman's, and we got mightily confused. Your post was part of what cleared it up.

"The language of the Lehman citation is identical to that from Hyland, with the exception of the embellished language at the end (starting at bold text below)."

True (you included the bold text twice by the way). And I dont know why they would change the text upon reissue, just like I dont understand about the two contrasting contemporary citations by Zumwalt and Hyland.

But the "embellishment" in the Lehman citation is really quite unremarkable. First of all, it doesn't change or add anything noteworthy to the account of what had happened, its just an additional, gratuitous complimentary characterisation. Secondly, though, it still makes the Lehman citation considerably more sobre than Zumwalt's, the original, which was more lavisciously complimentary still.

I borrowed your copy of the three citations for a webpage I just made myself, by the way, out of frustration about there not being a single page on the web that has all three together - except for this one, where your post is buried deep into the thread.