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OH HE*LLLLL! I'm wrong!!!"

Kerry didn't get his Silver Star citation rewritten and enhanced and re-issued after the fact twice.

HE GOT THE SAME CITATION RE-WRITTEN and RE-ISSUED THREE TIMES!!!!

And each time, by an ever-higher step in the Navy brass!

First Issue: Silver Star, written under the authority of "Commander, United States Naval Forces Vietnam, signed "E. R. Zumwalt, Vice Admiral, USN". (Zumwalt WAS commander of Naval Forces in Vietnam while Kerry served there.) We have the original citation for the Silver Star for action 28 February, 1969. No "copy lost"; no "fire", no "replacement medal." I'm reading the original copy, it is clear, it has all the right words, but does indeed "damn with the faintest of praise.".

Second Issue: Silver Star, written under the authority of "Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet, signed "John Hyland, Admiral, USN." (Hyland was commander, PACFLT long after Kerry left service. Kerry never served under him.) We have the original citation for the Silver Star for action 28 February, 1969. No "copy lost"; no "fire", no "replacement medal." I'm reading the original copy: it is now re-typed, is shorter with fewer details, but summarized things more enthusiastically. It is manually typed in italics font.

Third Issue: Silver Star, written under the authority of "The Secretary of the Navy, Washington, signed "John Lehman." (Lehman was Secretary of the Navy under Reagan, some 15 years after Kerry left service, but was active when Kerry was elected Senator from MA.) We have the original citation for the Silver Star for same action on 28 February, 1969. No "copy lost"; no "fire", no "replacement medal." I'm reading the original copy: it has re-typed yet again, and has continued to get more enthusiastic about Kerry's performance that day.

Separately, in March 2001, Kerry's official discharge papers (DDForm 214) are modified with a DD Form 215 awarding him more recognitions for service in Vietnam, and giving him 4 "new" Bronze "campaign ribbon decorations."

Based on how long he was there, how could he actually have served in 4 different campaigns? I mean, if he get's on campaign star for when he was off the coast on the Gridley, that's all fine and good. I can live with that. THen, he get's in-country in what? November of 1968? Great - he's just in time for Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VI which was from 2 November 2 1968 through 22 February 1969. Ok, that's two... So, he was there for part of Tet 69/Counteroffensive which was from February 23 through roughly June 8 1969 but he left before the end of that, but that would be a third...

So, where does the fourth one come from? Anyone know? I are confu-sed.

I am using the link below for the Silver Star citations signed by Hyland and Lehman. I don't have the Zumwalt copy, but it is quite possible that the chain of command for approval for a Silver Star goes up to Hyland for final approval. It could be reworked at that level It is not unusual to have awards take a long time to process, especially in Vietnam. I knew I had received an award for my service in Vietnam, but I didn't receive it until well into my next tour. It should also be noted that there is the actual write up for the award, which is more lengthy and then the citation synopsis, which can be put on one page.

http://www.johnkerry.com/about/Silver_Star.pdf

Robert A. Cook, PE said: Separately, in March 2001, Kerry's official discharge papers (DDForm 214) are modified with a DD Form 215 awarding him more recognitions for service in Vietnam, and giving him 4 "new" Bronze "campaign ribbon decorations."

The issue, I think, is not that Kerry is not entitled to the campaign ribbon decorations ( in my post above I suggest that Naval personnel may have qualified along with Army ground forces if stationed on a river) but rather the issue is "why" did Kerry file to amend his DD214?

Perhaps those of us entitled to such campaign ribbon decorations should all file amendments to our DD214s in order to guage what the response of the military would be. Are there any FR Vets who have DD214s which list campaign ribbon decoration information?

One might be very curious to know just what process was carried out to verify Kerry's amended DD214. Were the assignments of the ship on which Kerry served in the Tonkin Gulf verified through official records? Were specific Naval personnel entitled to inclusion in an Army campaign? Or did the military just take Kerry's word for what should appear on his DD214?

How can Kerry complain about the cost of government if he has single-handedly added to military expenses through these various processes? Was he charged a fee for these things? Perhaps he was. Was that money better spent than on Kerry's various liberal causes?