Navy Launches Formal Kerry Medal Probe

NewsMax .com ^ | 9/03/04 | Carl Limbacher

[kattracks]

The United States Navy has launched an official investigation into John Kerry's Vietnam War decorations, saying, "it's the responsibility of all personnel to correct errors in official records."

In a launching a formal probe, the Navy was responding to a referral from the Pentagon's inspector general's office - based on a complaint filed by the Washington-based legal watchdog group Judicial Watch, Fox News reported Friday. In a letter to Judicial Watch, the inspector general's office said: "Concerning our allegations of violations of Uniform Code of Military Justice, we have the responsibility to . . . 'report suspected or alleged violations.' We have informed the secretary of the Navy of the allegations."

Former Navy Secretary John Lehman, who has challenged the authenticity of his signature on one of Kerry's war decorations, told Fox that Navy records needed to be "thoroughly researched and the facts established."

Most questions about Kerry's combat record appear to be based on processing errors, Navy sources told the news network.

However, even if the errors were based on inadvertent mistakes, any corrections would force the top Democrat to acknowledge that citations touting his heroism that have been posted to his Web site for months were false - a development that could have devastating political consequences.

"Even if it was the Navy's fault," one source following the story told NewsMax, "surely Sen. Kerry knew the citations were wrong. Why did it take a formal Navy probe for him to correct records he had to know were fraudulent?"

Kerry received five medals during his four months in combat in Vietnam, including a Silver Star with a "Combat V" designation. A Navy source confirmed last week, however, that in the entire history of the Navy, no Silver Star has ever been awarded with "Combat V."

Kerry campaign spokesman Michael Meehan suggested that the Navy probe was a waste of time and money.

"The facts are clear, the Navy awarded John Kerry the Silver Star, a Bronze Star with a Combat V and three Purple Hearts. It is waste of taxpayer's dollars and the Pentagon's time, especially during wartime, to investigate a 35-year-old Navy clerical error," Meehan said in statement.

In 1996, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jeremy Boorda committed suicide after he was accused of wearing medals he hadn't earned.

At the time, Kerry told the Boston Herald that the error was "sufficient to question his leadership position."

"If you wind up being less than what you're pretending to be, there is a major confrontation with value, self-esteem and your sense of how others view you," Kerry told the Boston Globe.

[Calpernia]

>>>"The facts are clear, the Navy awarded John Kerry the Silver Star, a Bronze Star with a Combat V and three Purple Hearts. It is waste of taxpayer's dollars and the Pentagon's time, especially during wartime, to investigate a 35-year-old Navy clerical error," Meehan said in statement. <<<<

Very telling quote there.

[Calpernia]

Bump. Same sentence caught my eye too.

[BushisTheMan]

Even with Judicial Watch, the lawsuit still gets mentioned and it points out there may be some questions about his medals. If the great uninformed out there just happen to hear about it, this might just be what tips the scale to Bush. If so, it's not a problem for me.

[Chieftain]

Swiftee Response Team, Load and be ready, On my command...

Fire one!

Fire two!

Fire three!

Fire four!

Forward observer: Adjust fire!

Swiftee window sticker thread - get yours! FReep mail for details on how to get one.

[blackie]

"Kerry Lied and Good Men Died!"

"Kerry Fled and Good Men Bled!"

[IMRight]

Blaming it on the Combat V issue is specious at best.

Right! Like that entirely specious suicide note? HE sure seemed to think they were related.

If you're saying he was suffering from a disorder and THAT caused him to kill himself I dount anyone would disagree (no entirely sane man kills himself over a pip on a medal), but let's not pretend it wasn't related.

[SledgeCS]

Can the navy release one's Navy records due to an official investigation without one signed the dreaded form 180???

Could be interesting...

SledgeCS

[Spirochete]

"Ahdmirhall Booordah comeeted sssooicide for lesss." /Dracula Lantos

Wasn't that comment directed at Craig Livingstone. Wasn't Mr. Livingstone devstated?

[boxerblues]

Anyone have a compilation of the Kerry back peddling on his FAMOUS WAR RECORD?

***The Complete John F. Kerry TIMELINE - A Work in Progress***

[Smartass]

For Immediate Release
Sep 2, 2004 Contact: Press Office
202-646-5172

PENTAGON INSPECTOR GENERAL CONTACTS SECRETARY OF THE NAVY ABOUT KERRY AWARDS

Reacts to Investigation Request by Judicial Watch

(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption and abuse, announced today that the Inspector General (“IG”) of the Department of Defense has informed the Secretary of the Navy of Judicial Watch’s “formal complaint and request for investigation, determination and final disposition of the awards granted to Lieutenant (junior grade) John Forbes Kerry, U.S. Naval Reserve.”

The Defense Department IG cited Section 8(d) of the Inspector General Act of 1978, which states: “. . . the IG of the Department of Defense shall expeditiously report suspected or alleged violations of chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (Uniform Code of Military Justice), to the Secretary of the military department concerned or the Secretary of Defense.”

On August 18, 2004, Judicial Watch filed a complaint and request for investigation and final disposition of awards granted to Kerry with the Inspectors General of the Department of Defense and the Department of the Navy, as well as the Chief of Naval Operations and the Navy’s Board of Decorations and Medals. See the complaint and the Department of Defense IG letter by clicking here.

On Tuesday, August 31, 2004, Judicial Watch called upon Senator Kerry to remove the Silver Star citation from his political campaign Internet site pending a review of the granting of the award by the U.S. Navy. Senator Kerry’s political Internet site displays a document listing a “Silver Star with Combat ‘V.’” The Combat “V” device is never awarded with the nation’s third highest award for heroism. A U.S. Navy spokesperson has reportedly stated: “The Navy has never issued a ‘Combat V’ to anyone for a Silver Star.” Additionally, former Navy Secretary John Lehman was quoted with respect to the Silver Star citation as saying: “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.”

“We hope this is the beginning of an actual investigation of the legitimacy of Senator Kerry’s awards by the Navy and the Pentagon,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

© Copyright 1997-2004, Judicial Watch, Inc.

---

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[sphinx]

Perhaps Bush should issue Kerry a pardon for his fraud in connection with the medals and order the investigation halted. As a purely friendly gesture, of course ....

[Calpernia]

Out of curiousity, if it is found that Kerry received his purple hearts 'due to a clerical error'; then will he have to finish his duty?

[LouD]

Bump for future reference.

[Smartass]

A clerical error is a separate issue, and almost a non issue.   However, doctored, or falsified records could become a criminal issue.   The Navy and the IG will be investigating an informal complaint that was filed by Judicial Watch!

[Calpernia]

I meant, will he have to finish his tour of duty :)

[devolve]

                                   

JOHN KERRY GOES

DOWN IN FLAMES

GW 52% - JK 41%

[Smartass]

I don't think so. If files have been doctored, and if it is found that he is responsible, he then could do a tour in federal jail.

[zip]

When I hear this on the news or read it in a main line paper

This equates to "when hell freezes over". MSM will cover up this story until after the election unless something forces them to report it.

[sonofatpatcher2]

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[shezza]

But Kerry says his medals are not important to him. "I gave back, I can't remember, six, seven, eight, nine medals," he said on ABC. Doesn't know how many medals he has, how many he "gave back," how he got them, where those citations came from, who was witness to the events that led to the medals, what the circumstances of the medal events were. (Yet he has them framed on his Senate office wall.)