[christie]

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If this document is accurate, the discharge on February 16, 1978 was "honorable." That was in the Carter Administration.

Check out the John F. Kerry Timeline. Email it to your friends.
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[Galroc]

I think this "Honorable Discharge" letter was written much latter than 1978.

Check the differences between the typewritten text and the normal text. This letter appears to be back-dated to 1978. The specifics to Kerry are typed in.

Why was it back dated? When was this actually typed?

At the bottom, it says
"NAVPAERS 1926/2 ?Rev. 3-77)"
"Part 4"

You might be able to use that to to establish a date, but my guess is this isn't the original discharge letter.

But, what happened to the original discharge letter?

[Galroc]

According to this PDF:
https://buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup_updt/upd_CD/BUPERS/INSTRUCT/5213.pdf

NAVPERS 1926/2 has a date of 1984, 6 years after Kerry was discharged.

1984 was the same year that Kerry ran for and won the Senate race in Massachusetts.