Free Republic

Documents show that slain Navy Seal and “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle misrepresented the number of medals he received. Navy documents obtained by an online magazine through an open records request show that Kyle earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with valor. In his best-selling book, Kyle wrote that he had received two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars. A Navy spokeswoman confirmed the validity of the documents and says the armed services branch is investigating the discrepancy. The Intercept first reported the discrepancy and posted the documents. Kyle’s widow, Taya Kyle, didn’t immediately return a phone call...

The true story of Garlin Murl Conner’s heroism in the face of a Nazi onslaught might have gone to the grave with the soft-spoken Kentucky farmer if not for a chance phone call from another military man trying to piece together the last days of his uncle’s life. ***snip*** The bravery of Conner, who died in 1998 at the age of 79, is well-documented. The first lieutenant, who was wounded seven times, earned an incredible four Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars, seven Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Service Cross for his World War II heroism. But it was what he...

A Green Beret who was awarded the Silver Star, then saw it stripped away because he killed a Taliban bombmaker, is telling why he did it, as conveyed in a CIA job interview he conducted nearly four years ago. Maj. Matt Golsteyn said the insurgent was a known maker of improvised explosive devices (IEDS) and was in the presence of such components. He considered him an armed combatant, so he shot him. Army Secretary John McHugh, who revoked the award, told The Washington Times through a spokesman that Maj. Golsteyn “assassinated an unarmed Afghan.” The soldier’s words, and Mr. McHugh’s...

Green Beret saved soldiers under fireA group of House lawmakers is moving to strip the armed services’ civilian leaders of the power to revoke combat valor awards in response to Army Secretary John McHugh unilaterally canceling the Silver Star, one of the military’s highest honors, for a former Green Beret officer. Mr. McHugh took the action against Maj. Mathew Golsteyn, who braved repeated enemy fire in Afghanistan, even though he has not been charged with any offenses. The Army now is seeking to release him with a less-than-honorable discharge. The officer plans to fight the move, his attorney says. The...

As bullets cracked around his head, Air Force Master Sgt. Thomas Case stayed cool and directed pinpoint airstrikes on Taliban positions less than a stone’s throw away. With two foreign fighters coming at the commander of the Army unit to which Case was assigned as a joint terminal attack controller, he shielded the officer with his body and took them down with his rifle. For his heroism fulfilling both the air and ground aspects of the JTAC’s job during a battle on July 16 and 17, 2009, Case on Thursday became just the third airman to be awarded a...

Camp Lejeune, N.C. -- Service members shuffled through the doors and filled rows of seats at the Goettge Memorial Field House April 30, to honor a man who risked his life to save his fellow Marines in Afghanistan in 2011. The Silver Star Medal, the third highest military decoration for valor, has only been awarded to 40 Marines for actions in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Daniel W. Ridgeway, an explosive ordnance disposal team leader with 2nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, was the 41st to receive the medal for his actions in combat during...

Last August, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus revoked a Silver Star medal formerly held by retired Navy Captain Wade R. Sanders. In a short, vague memorandum to the Chief of Naval Personnel, Mabus cited "subsequently determined facts and evidence surrounding both the incident for which the award was made and the processing of the award itself" as the reason. Such an action by the Navy is virtually without precedent. There was no press release and no announcement. Eleven months later, a bare-bones report was finally published by the Navy Times. American Thinker picked up the story from WinterSoldier.com, and...

Wade Rowland Sanders used to be this close to Sen. John Forbes Kerry. He and Liveshot were both Vietnam vets, Navy swift boaters, officers and gentlemen. They were awarded Silver Stars for their gallantry. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Sanders accused Republicans of running “vicious public distortions” of his dear friend’s war record. The retired captain would do anything for Lt. John “Reporting for Duty” Kerry, USN (ret.), and vice versa. But that was then, and this is now — and if you ask Liveshot about Wade Sanders today, the answer is, in effect, “Wade who?”

Except for a few intrepid news and opinion outlets, plus Navy Times, a respected military newspaper, a cone of liberal silence descended around shocking news that a Silver Star medal for gallantry was yanked from a high-ranking Navy officer back in August 2010. No why is given; it is shrouded in the mist of military bureaucracy.

A Vietnam veteran who defended Sen. John Kerry against "Swift Boat" attacks in the 2004 presidential race has been stripped of his Silver Star by the Navy -- more than a year after he was sentenced to prison on a child pornography charge. But the Silver Star wasn't stripped from Wade Sanders because of the child porn conviction, per se.

<p>John F. Kerry almost became president running on the basis of his alleged heroism in Vietnam. Thanks to the efforts of a group of truth-tellers, the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, the serious holes in the fantasy narrative propounded by the Kerry campaign came to the attention of enough Americans that John Kerry was not the first faux-Irish President of the United States.</p>

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...

It was a typical morning in Afghanistan and Spc. Nicholas Robinson was just about finished with a six-hour guard duty shift at an Afghan police compound near his combat outpost. Then all hell broke loose. A mortar round landed roughly 20 meters in front of his guard tower. “It knocked me back and when I got up I saw an explosion like nothing I had ever seen before going off,” the Tacoma native told a public affairs writer with the 101st Airborne Division’s Task Force Leader Rakkasan. “Then gunfire erupted from every possible side you could imagine.” Over the next...

<p>A Puerto Rican veteran of the Vietnam War has been awarded the Silver Star for helping to rescue a company pinned down by enemy fire in 1965.</p> <p>Angel L. Cumba served as a gunner with the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. He received the military's third-highest decoration Thursday during a Veteran's Day ceremony in the U.S. territory.</p>

A few months ago, my father passed away. At the time, numerous Freepers graciously helped me in indentifying his medals, for which I and my family were quite grateful. Dad chose to be cremated, and Mom accepted my offer to make an urn for his ashes. The urn is finished now. The plan is to put an engraved brass plate on it, featuring several of his medals and awards. The problem I'm having is that noone seems to be able to do this particular engraving job! It was a big surprise to me, but while the engraver had files for...

Folks since the Silver Star Families of America was practically born on FR, I thought you might like to see this. A Stand alone Resolution from the House.

Merl Davis, A Silver Star recipient, 5 foot 2 ornery cuss, and a man I was proud to know passed away last night. He served with the 90th Infantry in WW2 The companion referred to in the following passage was Esequiel Esquivel, from Texas, who also recieved a Silver Star. Merl G. Davis, service number, Corporal ( then private),Corps of Engineers, 315th Combat Engineer Battalion,United state Army. For gallantry in action on 17 December 1944 in the vicinity of Pachten Germany. When an advance of friendly troops was impeded by fire from three pillboxes, Corporal Davis volunteered to place demoliton...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — "You hear your buddies go down ...You close your eyes... You think about everything ... You hear you're the only other corpsman. What would you do?" Chief Petty Officer Jeremy K. Torrisi, a hospital corpsman with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, faced that question, June 26, 2008 in the mountains of Afghanistan during the fiercest firefight of his life. Torrisi saved the lives of four of his comrades and received the Silver Star Medal at the Court House Bay Gymnasium, Jan 21. So far, one Navy Cross, two Silver Star Medals,...

Kenneth Jerome Nelson, widely known as self-appointed guardian of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Capitol Park, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to wearing a Silver Star he did not earn. Nelson, 60, of Sacramento, had garnered coverage by local television and The Bee as the unofficial caretaker of the memorial. He posed as the recipient of medals from his time as a Marine in Vietnam.

4/10/2009 By Byline Lance Cpl. Paul D. Zellner, Unit Marine Corps Bases Japan Dateline CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, Japan — Page Content CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, Japan — The day started like any other day in Eastern Afghanistan, moderate temperature, sunny; hardly a cloud in the sky. But for three Marines, a platoon of Afghan National soldiers and a platoon of soldiers from the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne, July 13 would turn to bloodshed, sacrifice and one Marine's tale of heroism. The U.S. - Afghan team was attacked by more than 200 enemy forces firing small-arms and rocket-propelled grenades. Many members of...