Kerry has the only silver star with a V?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2003
Kerry has the only silver star with a V?
9
Fri, 08-20-2004 - 10:45am
Kerry may have the only silver star with a V in the entire history of the united states... once again we have to wonder about what the heck Kerry was doing to get medals and honors... review the following....

John Kerry's Mysterious Combat “V”

By Henry Mark Holzer and Erika Holzer

FrontPageMagazine.com | August 20, 2004

As the authors of Fake Warriors: Identifying, Exposing and Punishing Those Who Falsify Their Military Service, we receive scores of emails on our website either asking questions about the Fake Warrior phenomenon (which has reached epidemic proportions), or reporting sightings which sometimes lead to exposure and even fines or jail terms.

One Vietnam vet with nearly forty years of military service who retired as a major, spurred on by the revelations in our book, and, in his words. “having seen hundreds of DD 214s” (a veteran’s Record of Transfer or Separation), recently decided to take a close look at John Kerry’s DD 214, which is posted on his website. What the major called to our attention, which we have since verified, raises some extremely troubling questions about John Kerry’s Silver Star. Keep in mind that the Silver Star is the third-highest medal our Nation can bestow (after only the Medal of Honor and the three service “Crosses”).

Kerry's DD 214 lists a Silver Star with a combat “V” (for valor). As the major correctly observes, the “V” is never awarded with the Silver Star. But the actual wording on Kerry’s DD 214 (see www.johnkerry.com) is: “SILVER STAR WITH COMBAT ‘V’.”



There is an abundance of anecdotal evidence that a combat “V” (called a “Combat Distinguishing Device”) is simply not awarded with a Silver Star. For example, a former Vietnam War POW told us that he has “three SSs, and there was no V for any of them.” Countless other Silver Star recipients all say the same thing. Why? Because, among other reasons, it would be redundant to award a Silver Star for “gallantry” (the statutory term) and then embellish it with a “V” for valor.



Most conclusive, however, is that the law is very clear about the award of Combat Distinguishing Devices. According to the Navy Awards Manual:

Bronze "V" (Combat Distinguishing Device).

Prior to . . . 1974, the "V" was authorized for wear on the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal. Between . . .1974 and . . . 1991, the "V" was authorized for wear on the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. . . . 1991, the "V" was authorized for wear on the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. In all cases, the Combat Distinguishing Device may only be worn if specifically authorized in the citation. See also http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Valor_device.

Because the “V” is authorized for only the ten awards cited above, but not for the Silver Star, Kerry’s Silver Star citation (the “explanation” of why the award was made) does not even mention the “V” for valor (see www.johnkerry.com).

The presence of the combat “V” with Kerry’s Silver Star on his DD 214 raises two extremely disquieting questions. How did the unauthorized “V” get there, and why has Kerry allowed it to remain?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Fri, 08-20-2004 - 11:17am
Interesting report on 30 year old events. Perhaps Bush and Kerry can get together later and compare VN war medals.

What are Bush's plans TODAY for the war in Iraq?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2003
Fri, 08-20-2004 - 11:19am
Hey,

Kerry wanted Vietnam to be the center of discussion... he got his wish... isn't he happy with it?

Did JFK visit http://a1281.v125028.c12502.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1281/12502/v0001/eaglepub.download.akamai.com/12502/sellout.wmv

If so, I wonder what his plans to save his tail are today?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Fri, 08-20-2004 - 12:33pm
Kerry campaigned that his service in vietnam will help in dealing with war on Iraq. If you think not, try to debate why Kerry is not capable of handling the war in Iraq, just attempting to prove that his 30 yo medals are fake is not debating the issue. Debate his prosposed policies on Iraq and compare them with Bush's. It is that simple.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-07-2004
Fri, 08-20-2004 - 1:11pm
Just a load of crap. really, now you want to complain because there's one extra letter on his DD214 !!!

Let's go thru Bush's military records with a fine tooth comb and a hostile attitude & let's see if we come up with anything that shouldn't be in there.

Or maybe we could start discussing the issues & get over your nit picking.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Fri, 08-20-2004 - 5:50pm

Really! I can't believe you're questioning this. He obviously must be more deserving and more heroic than all the other silver star recipients, and by the way, that's a pretty good reason why his 4 months on a river in Vietnam mean that he'd be a much better president than Bush, too.


Jeesh.

Renee ~~~

Renee ~~~

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Fri, 08-20-2004 - 10:05pm
-- Debate his prosposed policies on Iraq and compare them with Bush's

Which ones?

The one where he is for the war, the one where he is against the war, or the one where he recently agreed that he would have sent the troops in even knowing that WMD's did not exist.

This man is all over the place. How can you have any kind of debate with someon like that?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-15-2004
Sun, 08-22-2004 - 9:55am
Tell this guy. This whole thing is stomach churning, I still can't believe any American would sink so low as to malign someone's war service.

"FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, Iraq, July 20, 2004 — The 1st Infantry Division Commander, Maj. Gen. John R.S. Batiste, awarded the Silver Star medal with Valor, one of the highest military decorations, to Staff Sgt. Raymond Bittinger, an infantryman from the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment and attached to the 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, according to 1st Infantry Division officials."

http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/jul2004/a072004a.html

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Fri, 08-27-2004 - 6:06pm

http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-lips27.html

"ccording to a U.S. Navy spokesman, "Kerry's record is incorrect. The Navy has never issued a 'combat V' to anyone for a Silver Star."

Naval regulations do not allow for the use of a "combat V" for the Silver Star, the third-highest decoration the Navy awards. None of the other services has ever granted a Silver Star "combat V," either.

Fake claims not uncommon



B.G. Burkett, a Vietnam veteran himself, received the highest award the Army gives to a civilian, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award, for his book Stolen Valor. Burkett pored through thousands of military service records, uncovering phony claims of awards and fake claims of military service. "I've run across several claims for Silver Stars with combat V's, but they were all in fake records," he said.

Burkett recently filed a complaint that led last month to the sentencing of Navy Capt. Roger D. Edwards to 115 days in the brig for falsification of his records.

Kerry's Web site also lists two different citations for the Silver Star. One was issued by the commander in chief of the Pacific Command (CINCPAC), Adm. John Hyland. The other, issued by Secretary of the Navy John Lehman during the Reagan administration, contained some revisions and additional language. "By his brave actions, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant (j.g.) Kerry reflected great credit upon himself... .""

Renee ~~~

Renee ~~~

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Sat, 08-28-2004 - 1:38pm


Kerry citation a 'total mystery' to ex-Navy chief


August 28, 2004

BY THOMAS LIPSCOMB


http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-lips28.html


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.

Renee ~~~

Renee ~~~