Silver Star was the highest award that you could get without a Board approving it, IIRC. I recall sometime previous that one of his superiors mentioned that they didn't request a Navy Cross for that reason.
When it gets down to the nitty gritty, it doesn't matter one iota whether Kerry is the hero he claims to be or not. Commanding a swift boat for four months in Vietnam, almost four decades ago, is no resume enhancing qualification for applying for the job of Commander-in-Chief of todays military.
What pisses me off the most about Kerry and Edwards forever reminding us that John Kerry is a Vietnam Vet., is how while the Democrats had a Draft dodging, Vietnam war protesting, perverted scum, seeking the Oval office, those with military service running against their candidate were not allowed to mention their military service
Clinton faced real decorated war heroes, who were forbidden to use their veteran status as an advantage over the democrat's traitorous, draft dodging candidate, Bill Clinton
We could laugh at the assinity of the Democrats, except for the fact that they own the media which defines democrat's assinity as rational.