Kerry Bronze Star Certificate signature questioned. Investigation warranted?

Kerry's PDF Military Files on his Website ^ | 4-15-04 | me

[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!

[ASA Vet]

they'd vote for Osama Bin Laden first

That shouldn't be a surprise. Dead demoncRATs can vote, and
a dead demoncRAT was elected in MO a few years ago.

OBL hated America so he would qualify as a demoncRAT,
and his being dead almost 2 1/2 years isn't a problem for them.

[Robert A Cook PE]

The democrats don't care about honor, morals, or decency. And this includes Glenn too: A full member of Clinton's apologists and part of the Keating Five group that burned McCain.

The repub's are scared to death of getting ABBCNNBCBS "mad" at them for saying anything "mean-spirited" about the democrats and are sitting on their collective butts licking their self-inflicted wounds like the scum that they are now.

(NOTE: They were brave and honest - THEN. As young men not corrupted by power in Washington.)

Now?

Afraid to say anything.

[rwfromkansas]

PROOF

He must have got a copy.

WHERE IS THE ORIGINAL CITATION, MR. KERRY?

WHY ARE YOU PUTTING ON YOUR WEBSITE AN THAT YOU GOT ANOTHER COPY OF LATER?

Do you not have your original citation and medal, Mr. Kerry?

[rwfromkansas]

See, I noticed last night that Lehman were on other docs, not just the Bronze star.

But, I didn't think anything of it until this post...

Wow. This is a story!!! Finally something I can actually report on about Kerry that will be a somewhat new revelation by the time the college paper goes to press...

[P-Marlowe]

I think I've figured it out. When he threw the "other guy's" medals over the fence... Those really were Kerry's medals! I bet he really did throw his own medals over the fence. Then when he decided to get into mainstram politics, he figured he'd need them for his resume. Then while Lehman was Sec of Navy he petitioned to have them replaced. I wonder if we could find the petition for new medals through the FOIA? I bet he'd say he "lost" them or they were "Stolen". I'd be willing to bet when he applied for replacements he didn't say he threw them over a fence during an anti-war demonstration.

Ok guys is it time to don the tin foil hats? Or is there really something bizzarre going on here?

[P-Marlowe]

Why on Earth did Lehman sign this award for service a decade earlier?

He signed it a decade later. See my post #305

[dalebert]

Only with very substantial proof.

[kabar]

The only explanation that makes sense is that Kerry requested replacement medals or claimed that he never received them. I assume that since his records had been moved to the inactive records in St Louis, the only way he could receive the medals was for someone to dig up the old citations from his official personnel file. Perhaps, the regulations require that SecNav reissue them under his signature. It needs to be investigated. If Kerry was trying to pull a fast one, I doubt if he would provide both citations. There has to be an explanation.

I will reiterate that the only change in the wording of the citations signed by Lehman is the last sentence of the Silver Star citation. Otherwise they are identical.

[rwfromkansas]

Good point.

"If the paper copy of a citation is lost, you can simply get a new copy! It is a COPY of the original record, and WILL NOT be changed from the original record.

Look, citations are the official record."

Dang......folks......can we all save these documents to our hard drives?

Before the Kerry campaign takes them down when I start calling folks tomorrow to get this into next week's newspaper...

[Empireoftheatom48]

Thanks for your post! Can someone give a summery. Is this guy guilty or what? please boil down this information. Thanks!

[dalebert]

Or got another connection to do it for him.

[MJY1288]

I have to agree with you, John Kerry had his Citations "sexed up" in the wording as well as who signed them. That's like going back a rewriting your wedding vows, it cheapens the whole meaning

[SC Swamp Fox]

I think you are confusing his "medals" with his "medal citations". The medals are made of cloth and metal and are easily replaced by visiting an Army/Air Force or Navy Exchange uniform shop. You may have to show proof that you earned them (DD form 214), but they will sell them to you. If you are in a job that requires you to wear your medals often they get dirty and wear out. They are easily replaced.

The medal citation is the piece of paper that is awarded with the medal and it details why the medal was awarded and it is signed by the issuing authority.

The question is:
Why were Kerry's citations rewritten and signed years after his service ended?

[kabar]

I think you nailed it. Or maybe he wanted a second set one each for his homes in Boston and Washington. Seriously, Kerry needs to explain the cicumstances surrounding the dupliate citations.

[rwfromkansas]

What do you mean by the changes in wording only involve the last sentence? You just trying to say that Kerry did not have his honors exalted by Lehman, just a new medal or citation issued?

[Mo1]

These new citations were rewritten (and re-signed) years after the fact, not re-issued to replace originals - because there is NEVER a reason to change the official record.

Unless you're John Kerry and want your Vietnam history changed! No, these citations WERE SPECIFICALLY REVISED to make them "sexier" -

What you are saying is very possible .. but the problem is .. it means someone in the Navy helped Kerry make it sexier and there is no proof of that

That's a pretty heavey charge which needs a bit more proof

[kabar]

I know the difference between the citations and the medals. I have a few. Unless things have changed since my days in the Navy (1965-72), you can't purchase the medals at the NEX or AFFES. You can purchase the ribbons.

[sultan88]

Bumping a most interesting thread.

[BJungNan]

I'm a little thick and missing the connection between the signitures, where Chaffee and Leh_____ fit in and the docs. Can you explain it to us puzzle challenged.

[kabar]

If you compare both medal citations (Silver and Bronze Stars), i.e., the ones signed by Lehman versus the originals by Hyland and Zumwalt, there are no differences except the last sentence of the Silver Star citation by Lehman. It may just be a case of the boilerplate changing over the years.