I don't think that the questions about the whys and wherefores was ever answered. We just read statements that Kerry had requested replacements from two different Sec'y of State, and that the descriptions of the honors were changed on both. I'm just relying on memory here, so don't take this as gospel, but I believe Kerry wanted some clarification to the wording of the original statements of the reason for the award.
I was reading back over this thread and found that some people believe this was 'walked through', essentially - that no paperwork was involved, save for whatever amended documents or new documents. I could perhaps see that for his form 215. But the Lehman documents, from the early 1980s, were on Reagan's watch. There must be some official request, somewhere. Someone had to approve it, in order to get the Lehman versions.
There must be someone out there - maybe not reading 'freeper' - but someone who knows what was done, or not done. I agree with you, and with Kabar, that it seems reasonable that Kerry simply wanted another set of medals, and perhaps they weren't so easy to get at pawn shops or on the black market (I mean, I don't know). Silver Star and Bronze Star. So he had to go through official channels. And that meant a 1981-whatever signature.
I think your recollections are a bit off. There has never been any statement from Kerry as to why Lehman signed duplicate citations or who initiated the request and for what reason. Certainly the Secretary of State was never involved in any of this. Lehman was Secretary of the Navy.