Your first-hand experience is very valuable. I have none in this area. There are obvious differences in the laudatory sentences, and it stands to reason that the differences indicate careful selection of wording to appear in the final document.
If you read these and compare to sKerry's, you are clearly left with an impression that something was left out of the final sentence of sKerry's citation - it was a minimal impact statement.
Which comports with Elliott's general impression of Kerry's action on that day.
I know you may not believe it, but I think that was very clearly intentional on the part of the original author. Whoever altered this from the very bland "his actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the US Naval Service" (I think was same sentence with Bronze, by the way) to the far more powerful: "By his brave action, bold initiative and unwavering devotion to duty Lieutenant Kerry reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the US Naval Service" knew exactly what they were doing. That materially alters the document, and its emotional impact.
You have given me first hand information that I didn't have before, thank you. You are familiar with the "SOP" for crafting of original language. You should not be surprized to learn that I believe you when you say the words are deliberately and carefully chosen.
So, what conclusions do you draw from the change?
I still think he needed replacement medals for the ones he threw away.
But, let's assume for a minute that it's all a matter of vanity. I.e., he simply arranged to get the Lehman citations to goose up the language AND have a framed cite signed by the SecNavy.
If that became news, how damaging would that be among vets?
It's caled "damning with faint praise" ...
And is obvious to "anybody" in the military "in the know" ....
Kerry was (basically) "thrown out" Vietnam on a flimsy excuse to protect his boats, his men, and the mission.
Then, once he got home to his cushy admiral's aide billet, THAT admiral was willing to trash him as well, by leting him LEAVE ACIVE DUTY early to go run for congress- ata time of serious manning limits!
You know, really, I'm mostly just shaking my head at this all. My conclusions now are precisely what they have been a long time ago:
Sen.Kerry, PLEASE SIGN FORM 180 so we can stop all this senseless speculation!
Really, unless and until he does, this is going to fester and fester, and more and more VietNam vets and others are going to continue to ask these questions. It seems really weird he has not done so, and makes it really seem that there is something being hidden. I don't think that is a wise strategy, even if release of records shows there was some manipulation behind the scenes - then people will just do the "ho-hum- everyone does it" thing. These speculations, some of which are probably erroneous, make it all the worse for him. The longer this is in the news, the worse for him, even if he takes a short term hit in the initial records analysis. It's not going to get out of the news until that analysis is done, though. In fact, I've got an inkling of another angle that can easily be pursued that will further enlighten the American people as to just what some of the records on his website mean, to sKerry's detriment, and I'm just an ordinary joe officer... There's so much more that can be played on this story that I really don't think there's any way it is going out of the news soon, unless he signs that 180, and gets it out of the way.
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