Kerry citation a 'total mystery' to ex-Navy chief (John Lehman)

Sun Times ^ | August 28, 2004 | Thomas Lipscomb

[Grampa Dave]

Kerry citation a 'total mystery' to ex-Navy chief

August 28, 2004

BY THOMAS LIPSCOMB

Former Navy Secretary John Lehman has no idea where a Silver Star citation displayed on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's campaign Web site came from, he said Friday. The citation appears over Lehman's signature.

"It is a total mystery to me. I never saw it. I never signed it. I never approved it. And the additional language it contains was not written by me," he said.

The additional language varied from the two previous citations, signed first by Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and then Adm. John Hyland, which themselves differ. The new material added in the Lehman citation reads in part: "By his brave actions, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant (jg) Kerry reflected great credit upon himself...."

Asked how the citation could have been executed over his signature without his knowledge, Lehman said: "I have no idea. I can only imagine they were signed by an autopen." The autopen is a device often used in the routine execution of executive documents in government.

Kerry senior adviser Michael Meehan could not be reached for comment on Kerry's records.

Thomas Lipscomb is chairman of the Center for the Digital Future in New York

[Timeout]

Dubya should "pre-empt" any Kerry apology to the vets when he gives his acceptance sppech this week. His excellent speechwriters should come up with a way for him to recognize the Nam vets and their honor which Kerry stole from them.

[Terabitten]

FR speculation was that it was to get a replacement medal for one of those he threw away back in 1971. But, you know, ribbons and medals, they were interchangeable back then. But he didn't throw HIS away; he threw some belonging to another guy, and he only threw his ribbons, because he left his medals at home.

Please read this entire post before flaming lol... Throwing medals away is no big deal. Just like anything else, they get worn out, lost, stolen, etc. I've probably replaced every ribbon and medal I ever earned at least twice. All you have to do is take a copy of the citation with you to the military clothing sales store, and present it to the cashier when you're ready to pay. The citation (or DD214, if you're out) is usually all that's required to show that you did, indeed, earn the medal. So, JFK throwing his medals over the fence (or someone else's medals, whatever), though highly symbolic and offensive, is largely meaningless. He could buy more AS LONG AS HE DIDN'T DESTROY THE CITATION.

Now, it's VERY unusual to have to replace a citation, except in the event it was stolen, destroyed (think house fire), or something like that. It's very rare.

[Chaguito]

Pulitzer Prizes all around for exposing President Nixon's misdeeds. Isn't there ONE hungry reporter around who will put this all together.

[The Right Stuff]

Main Stream Media also known by the synonyms: Presstitutes, Media Wing of the Democrat Party, Lamestream

[Terabitten]

Do you have a source for those two versions?

Thanks.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Nah.

Kerry was commissioned USNR from Newport. No problem at all.

[Miss Marple]

Well, they would have to do it without hope of reward.

Since former Pulitzer Prize winners include Maureen Dowd and Doris Kearns Goodwin, I think I am safe in asuming that a reporter could discover that Kerry was in the pay of Al Qaeda and it wouldn't even get honorable mention.

[Timeout]

Thanks for the ping, by the way!

[Peach]

Thank you for all you are doing on this matter. We cannot let Kerry win. It is unthinkable.

I am reading Ben Stein's book "Can America Survive" and he is appalled at the leftists in this country and fears a civil war is brewing. I don't consider him an alarmist either. He worries where it will all end.

This is the time to do EVERYTHING we can do to ensure a second Bush presidency. This means sending e-mails and interesting articles to friends and people in our address books. Volunteer to register voters; drive elderly people to the voting booths; donate $$.

Make sure that your leftist friends know just who John stinkin' Kerry is. We must not let our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan be treated poorly!

[Chaguito]

President Bush needs to keep his mouth shut. He may be playing strategery, but his tacit labeling of honorable Swiftvets as dishonorable and making threats to silence them, while it doesn't turn his base against him, certainly demoralizes them. They WILL stay home from the polls, if he keeps up what he has been doing for the last week.

[GretchenM]

if Kerry goes down with the media defending him still, then it would look worse for them in any post-election analysis.

All your arguments are valid but I think this is the strongest reason they are backing away slowly.

[Chaguito]

Separated 17/2/72, if I recall correctly from his DD214. Go to the KerryEdwards site. It's there. We need to have clear the idea of "separation" vs. the idea of final discharge from reserve duty.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Thank you!

[txrangerette]

Based on what Kerry did after
Nam, he stole honor from them,
from me & my generation, and
from America as a nation. This
is beyond the Ad Wars & CFR -
waaaaay beyond. W must get it,
for his & America's sake.

[Miss Marple]

The idea from Bush is that 527's not be "shadowy." In other words, accountability for who is funding the ads. In the case of the Swift Boat guys, this is not a problem.

However, MoveOn needs to have George Soros on their ads, saying "I am George Soros, and I, a multi-billionaire, am funding this ad."

[Chaguito]

Yeah, after I posted it dawned on me - it IS the Pulitzer, and is inoperative for exposes of leftwingers.

[Timeout]

Now, it's very unusual to have to replace a citation...

Did you see this from my earlier post?

Boston Globe, 10/6/96...Profile of John F. Kerry:

Referring to the medal toss...

"Veterans hurled their medals high on the steps of the Capitol. Many cried. Someone put up a sign on the fence that read, "Trash." Soon, they began throwing not just Bronze and Silver stars and Purple Hearts, but citations, discharge papers, caps, jackets and canteens.

I'd never read that some of the protesters were throwing back their citations.

[Mike Fieschko]

Kerry was commissioned USNR from Newport.

I'm trying to figure out if he was USNR when he went to Paris and talked with the VC and DRVN, and when he testified before the Fulbright committee. There's some stuff on the 'net (for example Lt. John Kerry as a Ready Reservist), but it's not clear to me.

I expect this timeline to be in an upcoming Swiftees' ad.

[MizSterious]

I downloaded mine from Kerry's website, but I don't recall the url. I typed the quotes in by hand, and there are several typos in my post. Others here might know the exact url, though.

[handy]

What the %^%^&*&^* does "MSM" stand for?

Some prefer "BM" for Bowel Movement, which is what the Broadcast Media often airs..