[elcid1970]

It was Admiral Jeremy Boorda. Chief of Naval Operations. He was about to be `outed' for a single campaign star (or `V' device) on what must have been seven rows of ribbons, by David Hackworth. The day before Hackworth's scheduled TV appearance, Adm. Boorda committed suicide with a .357 magnum.

[ccmay]

It was Admiral Jeremy Boorda. Chief of Naval Operations. He was about to be `outed' for a single campaign star (or `V' device) on what must have been seven rows of ribbons, by David Hackworth.

As I recall, it was an exceedingly minor anomaly in what was otherwise an exemplary service record, and it was not really clear whether or not he had really committed an infraction. Like it was someone in his chain of command who told him it was OK, but some other authority disagreed, or something like that.

Worlds apart from the frauds who never served a day, or spent their careers as file clerks in the Tulsa NG armory, then subsequently claim to be SEALs or fighter pilots or MOH recipients.

-ccm

[A.A. Cunningham]

Boorda had already been outed; as had several other flag officers guilty of medal inflation, by LtCol Roger Charles USMC Ret., for wearing two Combat V's that he was not entitled to. Boorda had stopped wearing the device on his Navy Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal over a year prior to the scheduled Newsweek interview. Boorda shot himself as two Newsweek reporters, neither of whom was Hackworth, were scheduled to meet with him on the afternoon of 16 May 1996. The Hackworth connection to the story has been and continues to be blown way out of proportion. Also, Boorda shot himself with a .38 not a .357.

Incidentally, the Board for Correction of Naval Records officially concluded that Boorda was not entitled to wear the Combat V on either award.