The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Medal Performance

7.9.08 @ 12:01AM

SWIFT TRUTHS
Re: Mark Hyman's Continued Unfitness for Command:

Mark Hyman's excellent column demonstrates the standard Democratic response to any scandal, which is to attack the accuser, claim victory and then continue to act indignantly whenever the issue is raised. In the case of John Kerry, the suspicious nature of his first Purple Heart award is compounded by the fact that he was apparently wounded three times during a four-month tour, yet never required any convalescence. His immediate return to duty following each incident would strongly indicate that his injuries were extremely slight, and that Kerry was exaggerating them in order to claim decorations for which he was not eligible. His supporters continue to claim that he was slandered, but their proof is, as Mr. Hyman points out, substantially less than compelling. Unfortunately, so long as Sen. Kerry continues to withhold his records, the issue will not be settled to the satisfaction of his supporters, who will continue to slander those who have firsthand experience with Kerry's leadership and found it wanting, however, any officer who refuses to provide proof of his right to wear his awards would be suspect, and there is a means of addressing the problem.

Under the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, it is a federal crime to falsely represent oneself, "verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both." This bill passed in the Senate by Unanimous Consent, which would presumably include Sen. Kerry's. If Kerry's first Purple Heart is in doubt, he has an obligation under the law to provide proof of his right to wear it. If he chooses not to, then he can be compelled by a formal complaint.
-- Mike Harris
MAJ, US Army

John Kerry is a narcissist. He wanted to get his ticket "punched" as fast as possible while in Nam. As an officer, he had great leeway in creating paperwork to do such.

When one seriously ponders how a group of fellow swifties come together to denounce a fellow sailor, doesn't he conclude Kerry is a true phony, a liar, a con artist.

I wouldn't walk my dog on the same path this jerk took!

I've got the DD214 to back up my status. My opinions are derived from knowing real men who did real heroic acts, brave men who fought and protected their fellow sailors, honorable men who were proud to be American, to be sailors, to help the Vietnamese fight for democracy.

Kerry is a coward, in more ways than one. Medical record release... how simple an act to provide facts from which truths may be presented, or discovered. Phony.
-- RP
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we still awaiting the full release of Sen. John Kerry's military records -- you know, the records he said a few years ago would be released with a few months?

Again, if there is one defining characteristic of today's liberals it is their propensity to lie.
-- Peter Skurkiss
Stow, Ohio

The thing I noticed about Kerry's Purple Hearts was the order in which he received them.

For the three events for which Kerry claimed, he received a Purple Heart for the second event first, the third event second and the first event last. I looked at the documents Kerry had posted during the Presidential campaign, and the only substantiation of it was an admin memo saying, in effect, "give it to him."

To me, it looks like that Kerry realized, now that he had his ticket punch, he could get an early out if he could talk somebody into giving him a third Purple Heart for that earliest event.

I suspect that his command wanted him to go home, too, so they complied. There are ways and ways to get rid of people you just want to make go away and personnel clerks can do it.

I was a personnel specialist for the Army, 1971-1974 and I know whereof I speak.
-- Jacqueline Davis

Letter to the Editor

topics:
John McCain, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Economics, Business, Religion, Global Warming, Constitution, Law, Military, Russia, European Union, NATO, Africa, Unions