Plot thickens after checking records of Kerry

Chicago Sun Times ^ | 08/27/04 | Thomas Lipscomb

[KeyLargo]

Plot thickens after checking records

August 27, 2004

BY THOMAS LIPSCOMB

In the midst of the controversy between the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and Kerry campaign representatives about Kerry's service in Vietnam, new questions have arisen.

The Kerry campaign has repeatedly stated that the official naval records prove the truth of Kerry's assertions about his service.

But the official records on Kerry's Web site only add to the confusion. The DD214 form, an official Defense Department document summarizing Kerry's military career posted on johnkerry.com, includes a "Silver Star with combat V."

But according to a U.S. Navy spokesman, "Kerry's record is incorrect. The Navy has never issued a 'combat V' to anyone for a Silver Star."

Naval regulations do not allow for the use of a "combat V" for the Silver Star, the third-highest decoration the Navy awards. None of the other services has ever granted a Silver Star "combat V," either.

Fake claims not uncommon

B.G. Burkett, a Vietnam veteran himself, received the highest award the Army gives to a civilian, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award, for his book Stolen Valor. Burkett pored through thousands of military service records, uncovering phony claims of awards and fake claims of military service. "I've run across several claims for Silver Stars with combat V's, but they were all in fake records," he said.

Burkett recently filed a complaint that led last month to the sentencing of Navy Capt. Roger D. Edwards to 115 days in the brig for falsification of his records.

Kerry's Web site also lists two different citations for the Silver Star. One was issued by the commander in chief of the Pacific Command (CINCPAC), Adm. John Hyland. The other, issued by Secretary of the Navy John Lehman during the Reagan administration, contained some revisions and additional language. "By his brave actions, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant (j.g.) Kerry reflected great credit upon himself... ."

One award, three citations

But a third citation exists that appears to be the earliest. And it is not on the Kerry campaign Web site. It was issued by Vice Adm. Elmo Zumwalt, commander of U.S. naval forces in Vietnam. This citation lacks the language in the Hyland citation or that added by the Lehman version, but includes another 170 words in a detailed description of Kerry's attack on a Viet Cong ambush, his killing of an enemy soldier carrying a loaded rocket launcher, as well as military equipment captured and a body count of dead enemy.

Maj. Anthony Milavic, a retired Marine Vietnam veteran, calls the issuance of three citations for the same medal "bizarre." Milavic hosts Milinet, an Internet forum popular with the military community that is intended "to provide a forum in military/political affairs."

Normally in the case of a lost citation, Milavec points out, the awardee simply asked for a copy to be sent to him from his service personnel records office where it remains on file. "I have never heard of multi-citations from three different people for the same medal award," he said. Nor has Burkett: "It is even stranger to have three different descriptions of the awardee's conduct in the citations for the same award."

So far, there are also two varying citations for Kerry's Bronze Star, one by Zumwalt and the other by Lehman as secretary of the Navy, both posted on johnkerry.com.

Kerry's Web site also carries a DD215 form revising his DD214, issued March 12, 2001, which adds four bronze campaign stars to his Vietnam service medal. The campaign stars are issued for participation in any of the 17 Department of Defense named campaigns that extended from 1962 to the cease-fire in 1973.

However, according to the Navy spokesman, Kerry should only have two campaign stars: one for "Counteroffensive, Phase VI," and one for "Tet69, Counteroffensive."

94 pages of records unreleased?

Reporting by the Washington Post's Michael Dobbs points out that although the Kerry campaign insists that it has released Kerry's full military records, the Post was only able to get six pages of records under its Freedom of Information Act request out of the "at least a hundred pages" a Naval Personnel Office spokesman called the "full file."

What could that more than 100 pages contain? Questions have been raised about President Bush's drill attendance in the reserves, but Bush received his honorable discharge on schedule. Kerry, who should have been discharged from the Navy about the same time -- July 1, 1972 -- wasn't given the discharge he has on his campaign Web site until July 13, 1978. What delayed the discharge for six years? This raises serious questions about Kerry's performance while in the reserves that are far more potentially damaging than those raised against Bush.

Experts point out that even the official military records get screwed up. Milavic is trying to get mistakes in his own DD214 file corrected. In his opinion, "these entries are not prima facie evidence of lying or unethical behavior on the part of Kerry or anyone else with screwed-up DD214s."

Burkett, who has spent years working with the FBI, Department of Justice and all of the military services uncovering fraudulent files in the official records, is less charitable: "The multiple citations and variations in the official record are reason for suspicion in itself, even disregarding the current swift boat veterans' controversy."

Thomas Lipscomb is chairman of the Center for the Digital Future in New York.

[KeyLargo]

"The multiple citations and variations in the official record are reason for suspicion in itself, even disregarding the current swift boat veterans' controversy."

[SkyPilot]

This was in the Chicago Sun?

Will wonders never cease.

[TheGeezer]

This raises serious questions about Kerry's performance while in the reserves that are far more potentially damaging than those raised against Bush.

Woof.

Thanks for the post.

[ClearCase_guy]

The media will quickly decide not to shield Kerry anymore. He is a lost cause.

The Clinton Administration was crippled by his lies.
Gore lost in 2000, in part because people saw him as unprincipled.
Kerry is both a liar and unprincipled.

And Hillary wants to run in 2008? Can the Dems take another scoundrel as their Presidential Nominee? I think her hopes are actually sinking now too.

[glasseye]

And the beat(ing) goes on............hehehehehheehehehehehehehehehehehehe

[Angry Enough]

And Hillary wants to run in 2008? Can the Dems take another scoundrel as their Presidential Nominee? I think her hopes are actually sinking now too.

Don't count on it. There's always the 'sheeple' factor.

[isthisnickcool]

I met Jug Burkett and spend most of the day with him in 1999. As I posted sime time back, Jug Burkett and John O'Neill are Kerry's worse nightmare. Why? Because they are people that find out the truth. And in Kerry's case that's going to leave a mark.

I think Kerry's problems are just starting.

[Pilsner]

UNless there is an indication that Kerry forged his DD-214 or lied to get a DD-215, this ought to be left alone. There are plenty of lies that can be clearly shown. The MSM would love to report this, debunk it, and try to claim that all crtitcism is therefore invalid.

[Use It Or Lose It]

Is this the same Thomas Lipscomb who wrote about the Vietnam Veterans Against the War Assassinations plot in Kansas City, 1971 (New York Sun 3/22/04)? Perhaps he knows what those documents contain.

[BunnySlippers]

Bump

[shezza]

Another thread on the Chicago Sun Times article here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1200746/posts

Here's to hoping the MSM keep checking records (there's plenty out there for them to check).

[madison10]

Is there any chance that this "Senator Fullbright" of April 22, 1971 fall-all-over-the-hero-kerry fame, helped with the enhancement, shall we say, of Kerry's true military record?

Something smells here.

[Godebert]

"The media will quickly decide not to shield Kerry anymore. He is a lost cause."

Send me an e-mail when the MSM decides to stop shilling for Kerry. I have a feeling it's gonna be a long wait.

[commish]

WOw. The Sun-times has been carrying Kerry's water through this whole swift boat thing for the last couple weeks. As such, I expected this article to be more of the same, instead I am treated to this.

If the Sun-Times is flushing Kerry then he is toast. It is starting to look like it is CYA time, and save as many Senator's and Congressman as they can from the Kerry trainwreck.

[Sybeck1]

And Hillary wants to run in 2008? Can the Dems take another scoundrel as their Presidential Nominee? I think her hopes are actually sinking now too.


The thundering thighs has too much baggage, many union members won't vote for a women and the right will come out in droves against her.

[leadpenny]

And to think Pete Dawkins lost to Lautenberg primarily because Dawkins had a campaign pamphlet that stated he had two tours in Nam when he had only one.

[RogueIsland]

Wow. Great ammo for arguing against the "military records agree with Kerry" claim.

[wolicy_ponk]

[MJY1288]

This story might have legs

[keysguy]

our worst case scenario is that there are more than one versions of how f'ing got his medals. That would be just what the rats are looking for. They are just dying to claim that "memories fade" and we should just all get along, it's their only way out at this point. we need the absolute truth on this slimeball.

Are you from the Keys?