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

[Tribune7]

Bump

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Where is the "V" for valor?

In Kerry's case, it could stand for vacant, vacilating, vacuous, vague, vainglorious, vapid, verminous, vexatious, vicious, vomitacious, etc.

[LuckyHat]

Carter is an imbecilic, overly sensitive pansie, but he is sincere. (forgive him for he knows not what he does)

Kerry is much worse, he and Ted Kennedy knew it was a scheme and knew that they were directly supporting communism and the enemies of America.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Kerry has three versions of his citation for his Silver Star? How can this be explained?

[Robert A Cook PE]

Better save the results from Kerry's web site ....

Before they change it.

(Again.)

[Robert A Cook PE]

Of course he was still "USNR" when he negotiated with the North Vietnamese in Paris while our prisoners were still being held. (Still held prisoner, in part, BECAUSE OF the protests against the war led by Kerry )....

That status (Inactive reserve) was not not released until July 1978.

[Chieftain]

I am gonna havta get back to ya on that...

[calcowgirl]

According to the citations the first Purple Heart was awarded for actions occurring on 2 Dec 68, the second was awarded for actions on 13 Mar 69, and the third was awarded for actions on 20 Feb 69. The second and third are out of sequence.

They look in chronological order to me... what am I missing?

-----------------------------------------------------------
PURPLE HEART #1
www.johnkerry.com/pdf/jkmilservice/Purple_Heart_1_Citation.pdf

Confirmation Letter - not a Citation.
Date (stamp) 28 Feb 1969
From: Commander US Naval Support Activity, Saigon

Purple Heart Medal, Ribbon, Lapel Pin
Injuries: 2 Dec 1968

"A certificate of this award will be forwarded directly to you by Chief of Naval Personnel"

/s/ (stamp) Donald A. Still, Chief Staff Officer

-----------------------------------------------------------
PURPLE HEART #2
www.johnkerry.com/pdf/jkmilservice/Purple_Heart_2_Citation.pdf

Confirmation Letter - not a Citation.
Date (stamp) 5 March 1969
Injuries: 20 Feb 1969

..."Gold Star in lieu of second Purple Heart..."

/s/ (stamp) Donald A. Still, Chief Staff Officer

-----------------------------------------------------------
PURPLE HEART #3
www.johnkerry.com/pdf/jkmilservice/Purple_Heart_3_Citation.pdf

Confirmation Letter - not a Citation.
Date (stamp) 17 April 1969
Injuries 13 March 1969
..."Gold Star in lieu of a third Purple Heart..."

/s/ (stamp) Donald A. Still, Chief Staff Officer

[beyond the sea]

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

Isn't this sweet!!!!!?????

[Mike Fieschko]

Of course he was still "USNR" when he negotiated with the North Vietnamese in Paris while our prisoners were still being held.

Thanks. That's the conclusion I've reached as well. As I said in another post, I expect the Swift Vets will have that in an ad.

[beyond the sea]

MainStream Media = Mucous Sucking Media = Morons Sending Messages = Monkey Sh*t Meanderings

[Texasforever]

There are 3 citation versions for the silver star with a total of 95, IIRC, word additions.

[editor-surveyor]

"Well, no this is starting to get very interesting."

But not in any way surprising.

[Blood of Tyrants]

The bigger question is not who authorized the signature with the autopen (probably some underling of Lehman) but exactly WHY did Kerry seek out a THIRD citation that was different than the first two?

[beyond the sea]

It might not hurt to let them know that we consider this important and useful information.

Right on!

[Texasforever]

I have that same image from Kerry's site and it is not bogus.

[Dolphy]

Those were good examples, as I said, I didn't know about the evolution in language. I am just rejoining this so I will have to catch up and see if the retroactive application of these changes is common.

Maybe I'm splitting hairs but Kerry's protest defenders consider his actions to have been brave, bold and devoted. I still think he would have a vested interest in having that extended to his military service, making his protest an extension of his character rather than the true color.

[Claire Voyant]

ASK JOHN LEHMAN!!!!!

[Cboldt]

Those were good examples, as I said, I didn't know about the evolution in language.

Other posters have direct, hands-on experience with crafting original citation letters. They assert that this change was deliberate, and meaningful.

I am just rejoining this so I will have to catch up and see if the retroactive application of these changes is common.

Nobody thinks this is common. I chalked it up to bureuarcratic numbness, but people with experience in crafting award language are credibly explianing that NONE of this happens by accident, or by inertia, or by boilerplate.

Maybe I'm splitting hairs but Kerry's protest defenders consider his actions to have been brave, bold and devoted.

As Schachte says, anybody who went out on a skimmer was brave. But (my words) that doesn't make him honest or honorable.

[Future Useless Eater]

>>Lehman: "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.



HOLY COW, BATMAN this is huge! Nice Find GD,

And here I thought the OTHER recent news was gigantic,
that Lt.Cmdr.Schachte was the officer in charge on the
Boston Whaler where Kerry got his first wound, and Schachte says
it was DEFINATELY self-inflicted with NO hostile fire.

Schachte was shocked that Kerry re-applied for that 1st P.H.
much later, AND changed himself to be the OiC.


GD, You may have found an even bigger story!


Does anyone know if Kerry can still be court martialed or
prosecuted for falsifying documents?
Can the Navy sue to get the 1st P.H. being returned?
or the citations revoked?

Has Kerry taken that Lehman citation off his website yet???
That seems always clinch that it's been discredited.