Posted on 04/22/2004 10:49:24 AM PDT by moondoggie
How come the paperwork on Kerry's Bronze Star Award is signed by John Lehman, Sec. of the Navy????
In addition, the date Lehman (supposedly) signed it is not on the document.
Did Kerry not get the award when Chaffee was Secretary of the Navy? If not, why not?
Did Kerry get the award 15 years late?
Or is the paperwork a "sham" and somebody made a big booboo?
I'll post the document as soon as I find it again. Maybe somebody here has it bookmarked? And, if there's already been a thread on this that I missed....please direct me to the proper thread.
Thanks!
Not so. The Bronze Star can be awarded for other than combat operations hence the need to affix a Combat "V" to distinguish it. Specifically,
The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded for meritorious achievement or meritorious service according to the following: (1) Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit or meritorious service. The lesser degree than that required for the award of the Legion of Merit must nevertheless have been meritorious and accomplished with distinction.
I think post #301 has your answer.
As a fixed gear SEL pilot, all I can do is look at those guys in awe . . .
I agree. Questioning the valor of anyone who has served is wrong. This stuff does matter. I believe that people who are questioning Kerry's record (not valor) are doing so because Kerry has a problem with being consistent and truthful. Kerry himself has created a state of disbelief about himself. There is a difference in questioning the truthfulness of Kerry's record and questioning Kerry's valor. If Kerry record doesn't stand up to the test, that in itself stands in testiment to Kerry's character. No one needs to go further to question Kerry's valor. It is just the record in question - that is bad enough.
That said, I agree that there are bizarre irregularities in this record. Maybe it is nothing, but maybe it is something. If the reports are true, I am personally offended by somebody that puts in citations for his own purple hearts for insignificant injuries.
I also have a problem with sometone that puts in citations for himself. I personally do not have the honor to draw blood for my country, but I do have family that have given life and limb for America. I have the utmost respect for them. There is something that should be noted about all of them; they do not/have not talked about their sacrifice (some obviously are not able) to embellish their love/service for our country. I have a big problem with John Kerry because he is using his war record after what he did when returned from Vietnam with the VVAW.
If his citations are true and correct, then we should-- we must-- drop the matter completely. I will not be a party to the vilification of honorable service-- even if the serviceman in question is John Kerry, someone for whom I have no other reason to have any respect for.
Agreed. That does not solve John Kerry's problem after he returned from Vietnam. John Kerry was in the reserves and he protested against the war. He gave aid and comfort to the enemy. These are facts not to be disputed. I could care less about Kerry's war record after what he did when he returned from Vietnam. I see this as a matter of what "you have done recently." After he returned from Vietnam is more recent than when he was in Vietnam. His congressional campagin to disarm American came later, his terms as senator came even later. In each instance he has be strongly against military and intelligence spending. After 9/11 Kerry has still been unable to find his soul. He is firmly planted in notion of abdicating sovereignty of the United States to the United Nations. This I have signficant problems, and since it is more recent than his Vietnam record, I have even greater problems with John Kerry. If it turns out to be true that Kerry's record in Vietnam was less that stellar, and manipulated, it just shows an on-going pattern of deception of a liberal. This I have to say is a shame for those men that served their country in Vietnam with honor. Personally, I do not think Kerry has any honor or code.
If it turns out, however, that the citations are not in good order and that there is unearned embellishment of a service record for political gain... then this is the most vile and obscene violation that I can imagine.
It is a disgrace to all those that have given for America. It has an effect on some that would think other veterans are not worthy of their service. Personally, I will never sway on my understanding and feeling of those that have served their country with honor. All wars have a select few that dishonor their nation. They should be held as examples of what not to be, and in turn elevating the stature of true Americans.
Kerry has three different Silver commendations for the 2/28/69 action, each signed by a different commander, the last two signed well after Kerry had left active service.
The first was signed by Zumwalt as Commander, Naval Forces, Vietnam.
The second version was signed by Hyland as CINC PacFlt
The third version was signed by Lehman as SecNAV
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