Posted on 07/24/2011 3:32:16 PM PDT by pabianice
San Diego- In a highly unusual move, the Navy secretary has stripped a Silver Star awarded to a retired captain and Vietnam swift boat veteran who is serving a federal prison sentence after admitting to child pornography.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus revoked the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest valor award, which was awarded nearly 20 years ago to retired Capt. Wade Sanders of San Diego.
A spokeswoman for Mabus confirmed the secretary's decision, which he made in August 2010 following a review and recommendation by the Navy Department Board of Medals and Decorations. "Mabus signed a memorandum in which he revoked the previously awarded Silver Star," said Capt. Pamela Kunze.
"Had the subsequently determined facts and evidence surrounding both the incident for which the award was made and the processing of the award itself been known to the Secretary of the Navy in 1992, those facts would have prevented the award of the Silver Star," Kunze said.
Sanders, a former deputy assistant Navy secretary rose to prominence seven years ago as a swift boat veteran who supported the 2004 presidential candidacy of Sen. John Kerry, D.Mass.
Sanders in 2008 pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography after an FBI investigation led to his San Diego home and the discovery of pornographic videos on his computers. He received a 37-month sentence as part of a plea deal; he has maintained he isn't a pedophile and was researching the subject for a book he planned to write.
It's not clear whether Sanders conviction played a role in him losing his Silver Star.
The Navy declined to release a copy of the memo, which Mabus addressed to the chief of naval personnel, who in turn would be responsible for the administrative actions to pull the award from official naval records.
Kunze would not say who or what prompted the review of Sanders Silver Star, nor would she say what new information had surfaced about the Silver Star.
"Additional information was brought to light after 1992," she said. "Those facts could have prevented the award of the Silver Star at that time."
She gave no specific reasons as to how Mabus or the board came to their conclusion.
The sole authority for revoking a medal rests with the service secretary, according to Chapter 2 of the Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual. _________________ Terry Boone PCF 90 Qui Nhon 68-69
Now let’s look at Kerry’s “medals”
In Kerry-speak, “I put Rasumssen in the water before I decided to take Rasmussen out of the water.
Mabus is scum, leftist scum. Kerry, Murtha, Sanders, those are Mabus heroes. Mabus loves what tears down our military. The SOB is dirt.
(Jaz, you think the list might want to see this, considering what Mabus has done to Frank and our Marines?)
You bet I think the list deserves a ping and you're absolutely right about Kerry, Murtha and Sanders being Mabus' heroes.
I figured you’d see it like that, brother! :)
I bet Gates could not wait to get the hell away from the whole lot of them.
Thanks for the ping. This is a real slap in the face by the current administration. I have not heard of it being done before.
I think it probably wasn’t the porn conviction that led to his Silver Star being revoked, but some kind of evidence that he lied in the documents on which the Bronze Star was upgraded to Silver. The deeper question is, why did anyone look into those documents in 2010?
Obama nominates ex-Gov. Mabus for Navy post....
MSNBC ^ | April 6th, 2009
The 60-year-old Democrat campaigned extensively for Obama last year. He was governor of Mississippi from January 1988 to January 1992. He also served as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1994-96 under President Bill Clinton.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2223476/posts
of course you’re exactly right..1992 not Clinton. ..sorry.
He did serve under Clinton as Deputy Assistant United States Secretary of the Navy.
His silver star was actually revoked last august. I wonder why is it being reported just now.
This is exactly the kind of thing that makes you wonder if Sanders was blackmailed into coming out publicly as a Kerry-supporting “swift boat veteran”. The rat machine probably had this pedophile under their thumb the whole time. Remember Scott Ritter? He’s another chronic pedophile who always seems to mysteriously slip away from justice, even when he’s caught with his pants down..
HILARIOUS.
the man is a total buffoon.
and remember, HE is the one who ‘introduced’ The One to the national scene.
for that he should be shunned.
>>> I belive this guy is the only swifty or maybe one of two who stood as a character witness for John F. Kerrys claims
As best I recall it, all of Kerry’s own boat crew tried to ride along with him to the White House. But from the rest of the squadron you are correct.
I know a significant number of Medals of Honor were revoked after the Civil War when the criteria was more narrowly defined. But I’ve never even heard of decorations being revoked since.
All but the gunner, Steve Gardner.
Which Purple Heart are you referring to? The one he got for being pelted by grains of rice on his backside, after discovering "when you pull the pin, Mr. Hand Grenade is *NO* longer your friend" comes to mind...
the infowarrior
BTTT
Thanks bitt.
Ecce homo.
lulz.
Let he who is without sin cast the first yadda yadda yadda.
Thanks bitt.
What a shock ping.
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