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Kerry citation a 'total mystery' to ex-Navy chief (John Lehman)
Sun Times ^ | August 28, 2004 | Thomas Lipscomb

Posted on 08/28/2004 7:30:49 AM PDT by 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


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ch866; citation; citations; flushthejohns; hyland; johnfabricatorkerry; johnkerry; johnlehman; kerry; kerrylies; kerrymedals; kerryphoneymedals; kerrysnamtypewriter; ktv; lehman; lurch; medals; militaryrecord; sbv; silverstar; zumwalt
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To: ActiveDutyUSMC
You might want to share this with your fellow Marines.

Thanks to MeekoneGop, we have the perfect picture of le Jacquestap moi Kerri, the great medal winner of the DNC. He probably has another 100 medals on the back of his dress uniform.


861 posted on 08/29/2004 7:15:24 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (https://www.swiftvets.com/swift/ccdonation.php?op=donate&site=SwiftVets)
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To: stellartrack

FYI, there are many more differences between Silver Star #1 and #2 than reflected in your post. The entire first paragraph in the Zumwalt version is much different. I scanned, proofed, and did a 'text compare' of all three citations. I posted the full text of all three citations at:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1189369/posts?page=25#25


862 posted on 08/29/2004 7:21:27 AM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: backhoe
I have done as you asked.

DETAILED SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF KERRY'S SILVER STAR CITATIONS (TABLE)
863 posted on 08/29/2004 7:23:21 AM PDT by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (Give Them Liberty Or Give Them Death! - Islam Delenda Est! - Rumble thee forth...)
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To: Grampa Dave; supercat

We need a retired Navy yeoman (YN) or personellman (PN) who really knows the nuts and bolts of how these citations originate and move through the system.

I think that the original source documents are superceded by the versions redone at higher levels. I may be wrong, but anything Kerry created on his typewriter may be long gone into the paper version of the ether.

But his reluctance to release his 180 is damning. I think at the least it will show his first PH (which was submitted months later, out of order) came from him. It probably has forged signatures authorizing it. The forged names may be non-existant, or he may have "gamed the system" by using the names of senior officers or medical officers who were about to depart VN, knowing the chances of the document being verified with them were slim to none.

But now in the internet era, almost every document and record is searchable and checkable. If he forged signatures to originate any documents, it could turn out to be a smoking gun.


864 posted on 08/29/2004 7:26:02 AM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
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To: musicman

The typewriter comparison may be even simpler than that. If the Navy was using all IBM Selectrics in 1968, and Kerry's "source documents" were typed on a Smith Corona or Royal, for example, he will have some explainging to do.


865 posted on 08/29/2004 7:29:57 AM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
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To: Grampa Dave; MeekOneGOP; Happy2BMe; Carl/NewsMax; Steve Malzberg; PhilDragoo; Interesting Times; ...



866 posted on 08/29/2004 7:32:16 AM PDT by devolve ( -- Kerry & POW`s families - http://pro.lookingat.us/POW.html --)
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To: Grampa Dave
Thank you. I plan on posting it quite a bit. :^D

867 posted on 08/29/2004 7:33:44 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: Grampa Dave; Fracas

I am just leaving for the day and don't have time to post right now. I can post late tonight, or if you or Fracas has time to do it today, please do. I included only a snip from that stableable newsletter... maybe the whole text of the Sanders article can get posted?

http://home.planetcomm.net/StableAble17/newsletters/april04_2.html

"Stable Able" 1/7
Newsletter
April 2004

MEDALS NOT AWARDED


868 posted on 08/29/2004 7:37:46 AM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: Travis McGee

I think that we will be hearing from some YN's and PN's, on how the paperwork for a medal was originated and what happened to the originals.

Kerry's old buddy Wade R. Sanders, could probably tell us, but don't hold your breath.


869 posted on 08/29/2004 7:39:54 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (https://www.swiftvets.com/swift/ccdonation.php?op=donate&site=SwiftVets)
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To: Grampa Dave

My total knowledge on the matter is now on the threads. Experts will hopefully pick up the paper chase.


870 posted on 08/29/2004 7:42:38 AM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
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To: calcowgirl; Fracas; Travis McGee; FL_engineer; Shermy; piasa; backhoe; Peach

Just post it when you get back.

Like you, I will be leaving for the day.

Sometime later this week will be fine. Just ping us when you do it.

Here is what Sanders had to say in the link you provided.

http://home.planetcomm.net/StableAble17/newsletters/april04_2.html

MEDALS NOT AWARDED

The crucible of war is often the ultimate test of human courage. From that searing process emerge those few who went beyond duty and displayed significant courage. Some of these men and women are recognized for their courage by enlightened leaders and a grateful nation. That recognition often comes in the form of medals, from Commendation Medals, the Bronze Star, and upward to the Medal of Honor. Others receive medals that celebrate their exceptional accomplishment in the completion of their non-combat assignments. A few of these men and women earned their medals for individual acts; but most earned them as part of a team. During my service in Vietnam, and since, I have noticed that too few team leaders (particularly officers) fail to fulfill their primary duty of taking care of their troops by providing them with recognition for their courage and professionalism. Too often the members of that team are forgotten by the officers who receive medals for being in the same place at the same time doing the same thing. More often this sin is one of neglect, not mean spiritedness many just wanted to put the war behind them and get on with their lives. However, I may be a bit more sensitive to this issue because I was a "mustang," a Naval Officer who started in the enlisted ranks (as did my father), and my father repeatedly reminded me where my primary duty lay.

During my tour in Vietnam aboard Navy patrol boats I was part of a six-man team, five enlisted and myself as the boat commander. We experienced intense combat together; we fought and shed blood together: were a team of brothers. Some of us were wounded, and some of us did not come home. Because we (note the "we") performed with distinction in combat, I was singled out and awarded a number of personal decorations for our combat performance. I remembered my father's words; I understood that my medals were not solely mine. If I hadn't had each of my brave men with me, "we" would not have prevailed. So I made sure that each of my crewmembers were recognized for their bravery and I recommended them for their awards. I thought that this was the right thing to do, and I believed that everyone else did as well. I was wrong. What I discovered was that many of my fellow boat officers had failed to recognize that they were part of a team and had neglected to take care of that team. (Of course, this syndrome is not


871 posted on 08/29/2004 7:44:34 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (https://www.swiftvets.com/swift/ccdonation.php?op=donate&site=SwiftVets)
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To: Grampa Dave

872 posted on 08/29/2004 7:46:32 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: Grampa Dave
:^D


873 posted on 08/29/2004 7:50:03 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: Grampa Dave; StriperSniper; Mo1; Howlin; Peach; BeforeISleep; kimmie7; 4integrity; BigSkyFreeper; ..
John 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."

Is sKerry going to be doing a PRESS CONFERENCE any time soon?

874 posted on 08/29/2004 7:53:07 AM PDT by OXENinFLA
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To: MediaMole
MainStream Media.

Thanks, I was wondering that myself.

will they report this?
875 posted on 08/29/2004 7:56:38 AM PDT by Delphinium
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To: OXENinFLA

This is not going to go away Ketchup-Boy, hope you enjoyed putting down all Nam vets in '71 and aiding the NV/VC torture our POWs, cause now it's payback time.


876 posted on 08/29/2004 7:57:56 AM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: devolve
As Grampa Dave said: "Christmas, 1968: Kerry with his Swift Boat Crew
in Scambodia. Kerry is wearing his CIA hat that came from Richard Nixon
a month before Nixon was sworn in as President."



877 posted on 08/29/2004 7:58:58 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide

Thanks- today is Mrs. B's birthday, and I'll go back & pick that up ASAP- may be a while, but I'll get to it today.


878 posted on 08/29/2004 8:00:46 AM PDT by backhoe (Just an old Keyboard Cowboy, ridin' the TrackBall into the Sunset...)
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To: Grampa Dave
What resonates with many of us who came of age after Viet Nam are the parallels between the current war and its protesters

Some younger are just learning how deep this is.

Thats is why this is far beyond politics.

It is time that these leftists are truly revealed.
879 posted on 08/29/2004 8:02:10 AM PDT by Delphinium
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To: SandRat; Chieftain; Mo1
I'm just flummoxed on this one.

Trying to piece this together is mind-numbing.


sKerry loses his citation in '86 and gets not a exact facsimile but a newly reworded citation that is signed/not signed by the acting Sec. of Navy.

Did sKerry forge it? He can't be that dumb can he?

Did Lehman think it was a new citation and not one from '68?
880 posted on 08/29/2004 8:10:04 AM PDT by OXENinFLA
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