Until 2004, Kerry had spent his entire life blithely lying to people through the press, and the press had been covering up for him. Most of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War had not even served a whole three months in Viet Nam. Many of them had no military history at all, but the press covered up for them. Kerry lied to Congress, and the press never investigated. Kerry claimed he was in Cambodia when Richard Nixon claimed there were no troops in Cambodia, even though his entire time in Viet Nam was during the Johnson administration. No one ever investigated. As to not releasing his form, I've always believed that the reason is because his separation date is listed, IIRC, during the Carter Administration, several years after he should have completed his terms of service. I believe he originally got a dishonorable because of meeting with the Communists while still a member of the US military, and got his detachment status changed.
Suddenly, in 2004, the Swift Boat Vets called him on it. The press tried to cover for him again, by calling the Swift Boat charges false, although they could not disprove them. They also attempted to say that Viet Nam didn't matter anymore, so we shouldn't examine Kerry's record, although Kerry never made a speech without mentioning his tour in Viet Nam. Kerry had never dealt with antagonistic coverage before. He was used to telling half-baked lies and having the press lap it up like a dog laps up it's own vomit.
I believe you are correct in you analysisof his discharge. However I also believe that medical documents could not bakc up his 3 purple hearts. It is another belief of mine that the reason his 3 purple hearts were not subjected to more investigation is that his fellow officers were more than glad to see he got the award as long as he left. Just FTF out of Nam before you get someone killed .