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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: conservative in nyc

Thanks, I didn't include Ma Ma TRex's tax forms and phoney non profits.

6. My wife's tax returns
7. My wife's estate planning and charitable foundations

Lets add #8

8. The vile left wing activists funded by #7.


921 posted on 08/29/2004 6:09:20 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (https://www.swiftvets.com/swift/ccdonation.php?op=donate&site=SwiftVets)
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To: Grampa Dave; All

*****BREAKING NEWS******
Sunday night, 8 PM

Major Garrett at Fox News just reported 2 new developments on the Lehman citations.

1) The Kerry camp says the replacement citations "were only necessary because he'd lost the 'two originals'".
and
2) Garrett said they were signed in 1986.

The lead of the story was Lehman's denying knowing anthing about the citations.

Garrett didn't explain why, if he'd lost the originals, he now has them posted on his website. The 1986 date was mentioned almost as a throw-away line.


922 posted on 08/29/2004 6:12:34 PM PDT by Timeout (“If John Kerry loses, it will be the parade we never had.”--Anonymous Vietnam Vet)
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To: Timeout

Thanks for the feedback and update.

This well become as impossible for the left wing mediots to ignore as the Swift Boat Vet saga.


923 posted on 08/29/2004 6:16:54 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (https://www.swiftvets.com/swift/ccdonation.php?op=donate&site=SwiftVets)
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To: Timeout

Lehman also said that he did not sign the new citation.....just asked my hubby about getting a copy of your citation if they are lost...no problem, happens all the time...but only a copy, no further embelishment.....


924 posted on 08/29/2004 6:20:29 PM PDT by mystery-ak (Leave that alone!....you'll only make it worse!!)
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To: Timeout

They should ask him if he got replacement medals as well. Still plenty of questions that need to be asked and answered. This is a guy who keeps everything including his journals etc., according to Brinkley. Let's see the request for the citations.


925 posted on 08/29/2004 6:21:32 PM PDT by kabar
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To: Grampa Dave

I just remembered: Another part of the Kerry explanation was that the language change reflected the "language of the day" at the time (1986, I gather).

From everything reported on these thread, there's no such thing as boilerplate for Silver Star citations.

Fishy, fishy, fishy....


926 posted on 08/29/2004 6:30:55 PM PDT by Timeout (“If John Kerry loses, it will be the parade we never had.”--Anonymous Vietnam Vet)
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To: gc4nra

Reported on Fox news between 8-9PM est, Brit Hume host.


927 posted on 08/29/2004 6:43:30 PM PDT by BOOTSTICK (meet me in Kansas city)
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To: Grampa Dave

All I can say is ...WOW. Let the Meltdown commence.


928 posted on 08/29/2004 8:26:57 PM PDT by fhayek
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To: A Navy Vet
No, sadly, the original FrontPageMagazine article on this was seemingly not posted until your link. (And probably has still not been read... Anyone with a head on them will go to FrontPageMagazine every day.) The research by the attorney-couple is excellent and professional. It notes the seriousness of this bizarre citation-change: there are strict Navy requirements for altering such citations - and this one was altered twice to enhance Kerry, not just reproduced.
929 posted on 08/29/2004 9:07:32 PM PDT by mtntop3 ("He who must know before he believes will never come to full knowledge.")
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To: Grampa Dave

Drudge just had this story on his Sunday radio show (8/28/04). The reporter for the Chicago Sun Times who is digging into this story, Thomas Lipscomb, was on Drudge's show and said he is still digging.

The question raised in their conversation is how does a fake certificate for a silver star and with the "V" designation get produced? The "V" designation is definately a mistake, they said.

And they said the following words were added to the citation. They wondered how that got done. Did Kerry write them himself? asked Drudge and Lipscomb

"By his brave action, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant (jg) Kerry reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of The United States Navel Service."

Lipscomb said he will keep digging but the only way to find out may be for Kerry to release his records. Something is going to break on this story much bigger than it already has.

Oh, and can I add, Kerry Is A Fake!


930 posted on 08/29/2004 9:09:22 PM PDT by BJungNan (Stop Spam - Do NOT buy from junk email.)
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To: Grampa Dave

The plot thickens!


931 posted on 08/29/2004 9:12:19 PM PDT by Ciexyz ("FR, best viewed with a budgie on hand"q)
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To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
"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.

Does this count as a campain smear, or is it under the same rules as Kerrys Purple Hearts? Is in invalid because it is a self inflicted wound?

932 posted on 08/29/2004 10:30:13 PM PDT by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
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To: Question_Assumptions

"That's funny, because John Lehman was on Fox and Friends last week and said that his signature is on those documents because Kerry asked for replacements, since he had lost the originals."

What astounds me is that here is a man that is reported to have archived every every note,letter etcetera from Viet Nam and he lost his citations. Amazing


933 posted on 08/30/2004 3:37:01 AM PDT by dozer7 (Love many, trust few and always paddle your own canoe)
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To: Timeout

"I just remembered: Another part of the Kerry explanation was that the language change reflected the "language of the day" at the time (1986, I gather).

From everything reported on these thread, there's no such thing as boilerplate for Silver Star citations.

Fishy, fishy, fishy...."

This whole medal mess like his Nam mess is really fishy, smelly and rotten.


934 posted on 08/30/2004 4:20:44 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (https://www.swiftvets.com/swift/ccdonation.php?op=donate&site=SwiftVets)
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To: BJungNan; Travis McGee; Ernest_at_the_Beach; MeekOneGOP; PhilDragoo; Fracas


Thanks for this feedback re the author of this article and what he said on Drudge.

Two points need to be added for those not familiar with the medals and the creativity by Kerry to get them.

1. Many feel that Kerry used his own typewriter, which he brought to Nam, and entered his own recommendations on Navy forms, for his Medals, when he was in Nam.

2. Flash foward to the Clintoon years, one of Kerry's oldest buddies, Wade R. Sanders, who was a river boat guy, also, served as an Asst Sec of the Navy. One can only imagine what was done to records under his watch. What if a left Sanders overstaff member created the wording for the Kerry's silver star with the very special V, and then that leftover staff member used Lehman's autopen to produce this special wording for the citation.


935 posted on 08/30/2004 4:35:09 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (https://www.swiftvets.com/swift/ccdonation.php?op=donate&site=SwiftVets)
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To: Grampa Dave

Now I'm confused.

Does the Silver Star citation itself mention the "V"? I thought it was only mentioned in the discharge form.

As for using his own typewriter, does that theory apply to the original citation?


936 posted on 08/30/2004 4:55:29 AM PDT by Timeout (“If John Kerry loses, it will be the parade we never had.”--Anonymous Vietnam Vet)
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To: dozer7
...here is a man that is reported to have archived every every note,letter etcetera from Viet Nam and he lost his citations.

If he lost them, how did he post them on his website?

937 posted on 08/30/2004 4:58:13 AM PDT by Timeout (“If John Kerry loses, it will be the parade we never had.”--Anonymous Vietnam Vet)
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To: Timeout; AndrewC

Go to this thread by Andrew C for some excellent documentation in this.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1201756/posts


938 posted on 08/30/2004 5:07:29 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (https://www.swiftvets.com/swift/ccdonation.php?op=donate&site=SwiftVets)
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To: supercat

To get further with the typewriter questions, we'll need some retired Navy admin guys to comment.


939 posted on 08/30/2004 7:51:14 AM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
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To: Timeout; Grampa Dave; supercat; risk

Is there a new thread on this new citation information?


940 posted on 08/30/2004 7:54:42 AM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
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