Kerry citation a 'total mystery' to ex-Navy chief (John Lehman)

Sun Times ^ | August 28, 2004 | Thomas Lipscomb

[Grampa Dave]

Kerry citation a 'total mystery' to ex-Navy chief

August 28, 2004

BY THOMAS LIPSCOMB

Former Navy Secretary John Lehman has no idea where a Silver Star citation displayed on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's campaign Web site came from, he said Friday. The citation appears over Lehman's signature.

"It is a total mystery to me. I never saw it. I never signed it. I never approved it. And the additional language it contains was not written by me," he said.

The additional language varied from the two previous citations, signed first by Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and then Adm. John Hyland, which themselves differ. The new material added in the Lehman citation reads in part: "By his brave actions, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant (jg) Kerry reflected great credit upon himself...."

Asked how the citation could have been executed over his signature without his knowledge, Lehman said: "I have no idea. I can only imagine they were signed by an autopen." The autopen is a device often used in the routine execution of executive documents in government.

Kerry senior adviser Michael Meehan could not be reached for comment on Kerry's records.

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

[Grampa Dave]

"Ow! Ouch! Ow!"

While Kerry is putting some ice on those Owies, he can reward himself with another Purple Heart.

[AmericaUnited]

Kerry is so toast that Smucker's has been trying to sign him to a lifetime contract.

[KeyLargo]

"The critical issue here is that the Vietnamese Communists have chosen to honor Senator Kerry in their War Remnants Museum for his assistance in helping them achieve victory over the United States."

From web page - KERRY HONORED BY COMMUNISTS

For photos of KERRY & FONDA at the Vietnamese Communist War Remnants Museum (formerly known as the “War Crimes Museum”)

Go to: http://www.tinyvital.com/Misc/KerryHonoredByCommunists2.htm

[Lil'freeper]

TOPADR?

;)

[mwl1]

He can't hide forever, or his unwillingness to respond to this escalating issue becomes an issue itself.

[ken5050]

I don't think he'll be able to avoid signing the Form 180...

[I still care]

The Chicago Tribune is in the tank for Kerry bigtime. (The SBVT according to their latest ed, are liars)

Perhaps also it might be a little competition? Someone from Chicago tell us.

[atomicpossum]

Best speculation is that Kerry requested replacement medals for the ones he threw over the fence (BTW, the first set of replacements is free!), and either the medals automatically come with a new citation letter, or Kerry requested both, medal and citation letter, or Kerry's servant just figured the request for replacement ought to "ask for everything he can get."

Still, if this is the case, we still haven't seen the original, and who signed it. Did they give us an inaccurate document deliberately?

[Grampa Dave]

"It is a total mystery to me. I never saw it. I never signed it. I never approved it. And the additional language it contains was not written by me," he said."

Delicious.

It surely is. Now let them attack John Lehman.

I bet this goes back to an old leftover employee of Kerry's long time buddy, Wade R. Sanders, who was an asst Sec of Navy under the Clintoon.

[pepperhead]

There is no big story in the replacements, except that Kerry lied when he said he didn't throw his medals away, he only threw his medals.

Help me out here someone. Can't you get replacement medals from the government or buy replacements?

[kabar]

Did he or didn't he? After reviewing Kerry's service records, as released by him, I find it hard to believe the media have not picked up on the John Lehman connection. It should set off all kinds of alarm bells, especially considering the recent flap over whether he threw his medals away or not.

A very curious question arises over Kerry's multiple Silver (3) and Bronze (2) star citations. Two of the five were signed by John Lehman who was Secretary of the Navy in the Reagan Administration 5 Feb 1981 - 10 Apr 1987. There are three Silver Star citations supplied by Kerry. One was signed by ADM Zumwalt, one by ADM Hyland, and one by Secretary Lehman. The Bronze Star citations were signed by Zumwalt and Lehman. Specifically,

Zumwalt: ADM Zumwalt served as Commander, US Naval Forces Vietnam from Sep 1968-May 1970. The Silver Star citation is more than likely the original citation taken from the award submission. Normally, as part of the nomination form, the nominator must provide a synopsis of the award (citation) that can fit on a single page suitable for framing with the certificate. Zumwalt's citation covered two pages. I suspect that Zumwalt forwarded the award to CINCPAC, ADM Hyland, for the final signature, including the citation. It is worth noting that the requirement to go to CINCPAC applied only to the Silver Star, hence only the Zumwalt and Lehman citations for the Bronze Star, i.e., Zumwalt as the final approving authority and Lehman for the replacement/reissue.

Hyland: CINCPAC probably edited the Zumwalt Silver Star citation to make it fit on to one page and to clean it up a bit to fit the existing format. ADM Hyland was CINCPAC 30 Nov 1967 - 05 Dec 1970

Lehman: Except for the last sentence, the Silver Star citation is the same as Hyland's. What makes this curious is that Secretary Lehman signed the citation at least over 12 and up to 18 years after the events occurred. Kerry served in Vietnam from November 1968 to April 1969. I doubt, in any event, that the final approval authority for Silver Stars had to go to SECNAV for approval. We also have photographic evidence that Kerry had the Silver Star medal pinned on in 1969. Kerry also acknowledges that he received them. My take is that Kerry requested replacement medals and due to the fact that Kerry was no longer an active duty service member, administrative requirements mandated that SECNAV's office had to approve the issue of the replacements once it was verified from official records that Kerry had actually earned them.

The bottom line is that Kerry probably did throw away his medals and then requested replacements in the 1980s. Someone needs to raise this issue with Kerry, i.e., why did Secretary Lehman sign duplicate Bronze and Silver Star citations at least 12 years after you left Vietnam? Kerry needs to release all of his military records including the nomination forms, which will give us the chronology and the approval chain of command.

Kerry's reaction on Good Morning America fits his MO. He wants it both ways. When he discovered that throwing away your medals was politically a negative, he came up with the story about his ribbons and someone else's medals. Kerry realized that he couldn't walk away from the story entirely, especially since he has the medals displayed prominently in his office. However, the fly in the ointment is that we now have the citations, released by him, signed by Lehman. If he indeed requested replacement medals, he has a real problem, i.e., he was telling the truth initially, lied in the 80s, and is lying now.

Kerry is frozen in a time warp when it comes to his service in Vietnam. His preoccupation with his medals borders on being an obsession. If you check Kerry's released military records, you will notice that Kerry amended his DD214 with a DD215. Among other things, Kerry burnishes his Vietnam Service medal by adding four bronze service stars to reflect various campaigns. This was done in March 2001!!! Why anyone would go through that effort to make some meaningless changes is beyond me. Hundreds of thousands of veterans, including myself, could do it, but beyond self-gratification and ego, what is the point?

Anyone with any military background will tell you that something is very wrong when almost all of your peers and all of your superiors conclude that you are unfit for command. The bottom line is that this question has to be made public so it can be researched. Even a best case scenario for Kerry, i.e., he wanted medal citations signed by the Secretary of the Navy for display purposes, portrays someone who is obsessed about Vietnam and his medals. Who else would have PH3 on his license plates?

[shezza]

Lame Stream Media = LSM (acronym from FR)

[e_castillo]

And you believe that because...?

Good point :-)

No telling what the truth is.

[AmericaUnited]

What the %^%^&*&^* does "MSM" stand for?

According to Roget's Thesaurus, %^%^&*&^* and MSM are synonyms.

[ken5050]

Maybe Lehman's getting "even" for having to spend six months with Ben-Veniste and Gorelick..

[Grampa Dave]

Apparently after he threw his medals/ribbons over the White House Fence, he decided that he should have them (probably for his run for president) so years ago he requested that the medals be reissued.

[Peach]

But Brinkley said this week the papers are the property of the senator and in his full control.

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1201591/posts

[Mr. K]

WATCH FOR IMPLOSION AND *HILiarY!* TO STEP IN

[Mr. Keys]

With or without your buddies in the MSM, the noose is tightening Kerry, you lying POS. Payback's a b**ch ain't it!!!

[MeekOneGOP]

Someone needs to save any pictures and references to any medals on moi Kerri's website. If any are still on his site, they will be gone before the day is over.

If anyone can direct me to the page on his website where this is, I WILL DO EXACTLY THAT!

Is this the right website ? I can't find the right page there:

http://www.johnkerry.com/index.html