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

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

On the DD-214.

[PhatHead]

No, I don't think it was a material change - that's why the new citation was unusual - according to BG Burkett. There are only very limited circumstances where a citation would be reissued, and a change like that just isn't one of them. Neither was the first reissue - remember, Lehman's version was #3!

[claudiustg]

---To steal a line from Mark Levin, Kerry is a complete fraud.---

Or as President Nixon said, "He's a bit of a fraud, isn't he?"

[Mike Fieschko]

Do you know when Adm Zumwalt issued the citation? It refers to Kerry as USNR. I'm trying to figure out when he was separated.

[GretchenM]

Won't be long till everyone here starts typing using stuff like this. WOT,H8,THT!,LFT,THX, 2L8, 4, 8, SUM, SUP, 2NITE, WAN2 and NXT.

Non¢!

[PhiKapMom]

Documents have to be approved and no way would this have been approved without Secretary Lehman signing off. Not to mention in the awards I have seen for the military, I have never seen anything other than an original for such an award.

Autopen makes no sense under the circumstances.

[RottiBiz]

Great post, Grampa Dave!

Of all the paragraphs in "Unfit For Command." the one that jumped out at me the most was the following, which appeared immediately following the text of Kerry's Silver stat citation on page 82:

What actually occurred was quite different. According to Kerry's crewman Michael Medeiros, Kerry had an agreement with him to turn the boat in and onto the beach if fired upon. Each of the three boats involved in the operation was involved in the agreement. Larry Lee. a crewman and gunner, recalls the agreement as Medeiros recounts it and further recalls a prior discussion of probable medals for those participating. Bronze Stars for selected landers were contemplated and Navy commendation for others. Some crewmen dispute this, but none deny that the landing had been calculated the night before.

[Cboldt]

Howie Carr played part of that 1971 interview. Kerry named "Silver Star, Bronze Star, 3 Purple Hearts, and my other medals too."

[Diddley]

I'm a little late on this thread.

This is the best explanation that I have read about this issue.

[Chaguito]

Writer Lipscomb smells blood.

[PhiKapMom]

And they are not used on Silver Star citations -- I called and checked with someone who used to be an Exec to the AF Chief of Staff.

[Timeout]

I just listened to the 1971 interview yesterday.

Just 14 seconds in, Betty introduced Kerry as a "former lieutenant". Kerry, who was discharged from the Navy in 1978, just sat there and didn't correct her.

[Gucho]

JOHN REPONDS

[txrangerette]

Read your links.

Question: Do you think W, or else
someone close to him, ever lurks
here?

I hope so. He needs to know what's
going down.

[MeekOneGOP]

Excellent collection of folks expression of Kerry's lies regarding VietNam testimony, etc.

I read all of them. Thank you for those post, folks (oldngray; Miss Marple; DollyCali; Peach; Guenevere)! I think a LOT of folks feel that way right about now.

And thanks for collecting those and bringing them to my attention, AFPhys! (post #623).

[John Jorsett]

Who is this Otto Penn guy, and why is he signing for Lehman?

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

OVERALL RESULTS:

Only in the original citation is any mention made of enemy killed (11 total) or wounded (1). The revisions seem to wipe the scene of any blood and clear Lt.(jg) Kerry of killing anybody. It is a totally bloodless Silver Star according to the revisions and seems to have accomplished very little for the expenditure of ammo.

"I killed people before I didn't kill anybody."

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks!

[JulieRNR21]

That "vice chairman" of intel committee was not simple sloppiness. The sKerry campaign had used it with the media to prop up sKerry's intel credentials six months before, and no one, not even the excellent researchers here on FR, caught the error then. They thought they could use it to good effect again, but this time they got caught, and even initially attempted to deny they were in error.

Thanks for adding those details.....BUMP .

[TheSpottedOwl]

Where is the "V" for valor?

Did you mean to reply to someone else? I have to say that I'm getting a thorough lesson on military awards. Everyone has heard of the specific awards, but many of us don't know the procedures involved in actually awarding them.

In Kerry's case, the "V" stands for Versace.