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
He should take some of what Amy Winehouse took.
BOR is most likely ignoring this story.
bttt
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