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Kerry on Boorda
NRO's Kerry Spot Blog ^ | 08/27/04 | Kate O’Beirne (via Jim Gerahty)

Posted on 08/27/2004 1:25:11 PM PDT by TonyInOhio

KERRY ON BOORDA [08/27 03:53 PM]

The current dispute over Kerry’s medals is a good time to recall the tragic suicide of the Navy's Admiral Mike Boorda in 1996.

Kate O’Beirne summarized it well:

“In 1996, a left-wing news service raised questions about two small "V" clips that the chief of Naval operations wore over two of the medals on his chest full of them. The clips are awarded for valor under fire, and there was some doubt about whether Boorda's two tours in Vietnam aboard combat ships qualified him for the awards, although the Washington Post reported that a 1965 Navy manual appeared to support Boorda's right to wear the clips. Unlike Kerry, the awards did not provide grounds for Boorda to shorten his tours of duty. Hours before he was scheduled to meet with Newsweek reporters to discuss the controversy, the admiral went to his home at the Navy Yard and shot himself in the chest. The CNO had been in command of the Navy during a troubled period and his leadership was being criticized by its senior officers. Still, among the notes he left was one to "the sailors" expressing his fear that the controversy over his decorations might harm the Navy. Boorda had lied about his age to join the Navy and was the first CNO to rise through the enlisted ranks.”

What did John Kerry have to say at the time about the matter? Let us consult the Boston Herald of May 18, 1996:

Veterans said yesterday that although they would take offense at someone falsely wearing a "V" combat pin, they couldn't see how this could drive Navy Adm. Jeremy Michael Boorda to suicide.

“Is it wrong? Yes, it is very wrong. Sufficient to question his leadership position? The answer is yes, which he clearly understood,” said Sen. John Kerry, a Navy combat veteran who served in Vietnam.

Citing uncertainty of whether Boorda deliberately wore the pins improperly, Kerry added: “If he made a mistake, in my judgment it wasn't worth his life, so I'm very sad about it.” And let us consult the Boston Globe for the same day:

“The military is a rigorous culture that places a high premium on battlefield accomplishment,” said Sen. John F. Kerry, who received numerous decorations, including a Bronze Star with a "V" pin, as a Navy lieutenant in Vietnam.

“In a sense, there's nothing that says more about your career than when you fought, where you fought and how you fought,” Kerry said.

“If you wind up being less than what you’re pretending to be, there is a major confrontation with value and self-esteem and your sense of how others view you.”

Of Boorda and his apparent violation, Kerry said: “When you are the chief of them all, it has to weigh even more heavily.” Kerry‘s records refer to a "Silver Star with combat V." The Chicago Sun-Times has reported a U.S. Navy spokesman said, "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.

If John Kerry has been touting a “V” that the Navy says he does not deserve, these quotes are going to be flung back in his face.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ammo; boorda; combatv; kateobeirne; kerry; stolenvalor
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1 posted on 08/27/2004 1:25:11 PM PDT by TonyInOhio
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To: Grampa Dave

Ping


2 posted on 08/27/2004 1:25:52 PM PDT by Peach (The Clinton's pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: TonyInOhio

This guy is as delusional as Clinton, but without the charm.


3 posted on 08/27/2004 1:25:52 PM PDT by TonyInOhio (Never give in. Never give in. Never. Never. Never.)
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To: TonyInOhio

Wow


4 posted on 08/27/2004 1:29:09 PM PDT by Republican Red (Is that a classified document in your pants Sandy or are you just glad to see me?)
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To: TonyInOhio

did kerry flip-flop on this ...? I love it when a candidate defeats himself.


5 posted on 08/27/2004 1:30:06 PM PDT by tioga (Flush the johns in '04!)
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Comment #6 Removed by Moderator

To: TonyInOhio

“The military is a rigorous culture that places a high premium on battlefield accomplishment,” said Sen. John F. Kerry, who received numerous decorations, including a Bronze Star with a "V" pin, as a Navy lieutenant in Vietnam.

“In a sense, there's nothing that says more about your career than when you fought, where you fought and how you fought,” Kerry said.

“If you wind up being less than what you’re pretending to be, there is a major confrontation with value and self-esteem and your sense of how others view you.”

Well! It looks like Kerry has written the script for the next SBVT ad himself!


7 posted on 08/27/2004 1:34:55 PM PDT by L.N. Smithee (Hey, KERRY! We said it to Saddam, and now to you -- If you have nothing to hide, QUIT HIDING IT!)
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To: G.Mason

Big Bump!!!


8 posted on 08/27/2004 1:34:56 PM PDT by Husker8877
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To: TonyInOhio; Stillwaters

Oh...my...God. I've never read or heard what John eF'ing said about the tragedy of Admiral Mike Boorda. Even if he wasn't the Democrat nominee, this should've been enough to get him drummed out of the Senate! I am horrified.


9 posted on 08/27/2004 1:35:26 PM PDT by lonevoice (Some things have to be believed to be seen)
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To: G.Mason

Will not happen. It takes courage to do onesself in, I think.


10 posted on 08/27/2004 1:35:49 PM PDT by somemoreequalthanothers (When the government seeks to give the people all they want, it will soon take all they have.)
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To: TonyInOhio
?If you wind up being less than what you?re pretending to be, there is a major confrontation with value and self-esteem and your sense of how others view you.?

Spoken with authority.

11 posted on 08/27/2004 1:36:15 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: Howlin

You might want to ping the usual suspects. This is devastating.


12 posted on 08/27/2004 1:36:39 PM PDT by lonevoice (Some things have to be believed to be seen)
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To: All

Silver Star with Combat V and it seems the erstwhile Mr. Kerry has claimed this also, even though the Navy says he is mistaken.. I hope this story gets out bigtime...He certainly will have no claim to Presidency of the United States if enough of us know the story and see to it he is defeated.


13 posted on 08/27/2004 1:36:59 PM PDT by cousair
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To: TonyInOhio

Take a look at Kerry's DD215. Very interesting....


14 posted on 08/27/2004 1:37:01 PM PDT by ThomasPaine2000 (Peace without freedom is tyranny.)
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To: somemoreequalthanothers

Like hell it does!


15 posted on 08/27/2004 1:37:02 PM PDT by L.N. Smithee (Hey, KERRY! We said it to Saddam, and now to you -- If you have nothing to hide, QUIT HIDING IT!)
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To: TonyInOhio

Please, John! Don't kill yourself!


16 posted on 08/27/2004 1:37:15 PM PDT by PeoplesRepublicOfWashington (Kerry lied while good men died.)
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To: TonyInOhio

Do you have a link on the back story for this? I had not heard that Kerry was wearing an undeserved "V". Thanks in advance.


17 posted on 08/27/2004 1:38:02 PM PDT by Puddleglum (Bush=America First; Kerry=Ask Ted Kennedy First)
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To: TonyInOhio
This guy is as delusional as Clinton, but without the charm.

Clinton, minus 20 IQ points, minus the wierd tubby-Elvis sex-appeal. Whotta loser.

18 posted on 08/27/2004 1:39:57 PM PDT by eno_ (Freedom Lite, it's almost worth defending.)
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To: L.N. Smithee
Good grief.

Can anyone get the full text of these docs? This is devastating, assuming that some of the Kerry medals are bogus.
19 posted on 08/27/2004 1:40:06 PM PDT by snooker (Looks like the Swifties snookered the dims ...)
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To: ThomasPaine2000

Plus there are three versions of the Silver Star citation. The original is not on Kerry's Web site. Things that make you go "Hmmmmmmm..."


20 posted on 08/27/2004 1:41:16 PM PDT by eno_ (Freedom Lite, it's almost worth defending.)
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