Kerry's C.O. Says First P.H. Was Not Authorized by Him

FOX NEWS ^ | 4/28/2004 | self

[kellynla]

John Kerry's commanding officer was just interviewed on Fox News. According to Lt. Commander Grant Hibbard when Kerry showed up in front of him requesting a Purple Heart, Hibbard saw that he had a "scratch"(Hibbard's word) on his forearm. And because, according to Hibbard, there was no report of enemy action on Kerry's patrol that day and the "scratch" did not receive medical attention from a medical officer, Hibbard declined Kerry's request for a Purple Heart.

[cake_crumb]

Oh, give it a rest. This is breaking news to some of us. First I've heard of it.

[SamAdams76]

I served in the Marine Corps for four years and I never heard of "requesting" a medal before. A medal is earned and given out accordingly without any input from the recipient, medals are simply not ordered like a Pepsi and a large order of fries.

[kellynla]

"He was a skinny pansy w/ no muscles on his arms at all back then"

Well if you had seen any pix of those of us who were "ground pounders"(grunts,infantry) after ten or twelve months in the bush, you would not have recognized anyone...the heat and flak jackets alone made us very skinny guys and "c" and long rats were nothing to write home about either. LOL...The test of a combatant's mettle is not the size of their arms but the size of their hearts and the size of their testicles. LOL If you get my meaning.

[Physicist]

and if he has one fewer PH, then he does not have the three that allowed him to get the early out, ergo - he is a hypocrit AND a coward.

So what you're saying is that by the standards of democrat Presidential nominees, he's a war hero.

[kellynla]

"medals are simply not ordered like a Pepsi and a large order of fries."

smiles...I'm glad you said that so I wouldn't have to, Marine!

[Fedora]

If you are referring to Kerry's shortened tour in Nam, then that was because of the "3 PH's" rule that allowed him to rotate out of Nam.

Yes, that's what I'm referring to. I'm wondering if someone in a high position like the Bundys would have been able to pull strings to assign Kerry to a unit under an officer who was more inclined to put in recommendations for medals, or something to that effect. I see in Post #71 that a Chief Staff Officer named Donald A. Still signed all Kerry's PH confirmations.

My question all along has been how he was awarded 3 PH's in less than 4 months and not spend one night in a hospital.

I believe Kerry found out about the 3 PH rule and made up his mind to get 3 ASAP.

Along those lines, I'm wondering if someone could have told Kerry about this 3 PH rule before he enlisted. Kerry's decision to enlist was influenced by conversations with the Bundys. It's also been mentioned on FR that prior to deciding to enlist Kerry had looked into the possibility of going to Canada to avoid the draft. Maybe while he was looking into that, someone told him about the 3 PH rule.

[BlueLancer]

"A question we're all asking. And must continue to ask. Along with "How did he find the time to film his exploits as war hero extraordinairre, get all those medals, type write copiously in his journal AND commit war crimes in the space of four, short months?""

"We do MORE before 9:00 AM than most people do all day!"

[cake_crumb]

"And I wonder what NEW/CHANGED information he provided to his NEW CO to get him to APPROVE his 2nd REQUEST for his 1st PH??"

Probably handed him that piece of shrapnel and fed him a story about how his former C.O. didn't LIKE him and denied him the Purple Heart he EARNED when he came under enemy fire and was scratched in the arm with THIS piece of shrapnel!

[evets]

Ebay

[jla]

fyi

[kellynla]

I believe he found out somehow and appears to have "planned" his "3PH's and out"...but then I am kind of cynical of Kerry...

[Fedora]

That's also interesting. I hadn't heard about what happened to the rest of his crew. I have wondered why there are discrepancies between what some members of his crew say and what others say. It seems to me something strange was afoot in Kerry's unit.

[demlosers]

Just as I suspected, Kerry's PH appears to have been illegitimate

A couple of weeks ago, when Kerry made his record available to the Internet, Kerry faded out two Vietnam Casualty Reports[pdf] that appeared to be duplicates of 1 of the 2 legit Casualty Reports. I could only find TWO different DATES that would corroborate only 2 of Kerry's 3 Purple Hearts.

I suspected right then and there Kerry was lying and it does appears I was right. :)

[Darksheare]

She promised an October Surprise.
If she runs, i'm not sure she willl be ready for the storm that will brew from her 'promise' to New York that she'd fuilfill her term.

[Republican Red]

VIDEO INTERVIEW LINK

Medal Controversy
John Kerry’s commanding officer sounds off on Kerry’s war record.

[cake_crumb]

Like I said before, I can't help but wonder if that 3 PH rule was invented just for Kerry. He had a lot of pull via the Kennedy and Forves families, even then.

Gotta go now. Take care. Like you, I'll be following this story closely.

[kellynla]

I just wish the good folks in Massachusetts, especially the MA Viet Nam vets, would have called this guy out thirty years ago especially when he was lying about the "mass atrocities."
But better late than never...
At least we haven't made the same mistake that we made with the three time draft dodging Klintoon!
It was bad enough he got elected POUS the first time but when he was reelected I went BALLISTIC!

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for the report -- I knew that first PH smelled but then I am beginning to think it all smells. Want to bet Kerry wrote up his own Silver Star award?

[cake_crumb]

Kerry was skinny before 'Nam. It shows clearly in those pics of him yahting with John F. Kennedy.

[kellynla]

"Want to bet Kerry wrote up his own Silver Star award?"

We were joking about that months ago...that the officers were probably writing each other commendations at the Officers Club. LOL