Kerry Bronze Star report inconsistent with Purple Heart report
Washington Times:
"The military records that Sen. John Kerry posted on his Web site yesterday raise new questions about the actions he took to earn several prestigious war medals and whether he deserved them.
...
"Upon inspection of the government documents posted on the Massachusetts Democrat's Web site, other questions arise such as the conflicting descriptions in official records of the injuries Mr. Kerry sustained on March 13, 1969. It was the commendations he earned that day ? a Bronze Star and a third Purple Heart ? that let Mr. Kerry request a transfer out of Vietnam and into a desk job eight months before his tour expired.
"The Personnel Casualty Report from that day says Mr. Kerry 'suffered shrapnel wounds in his left buttocks and contusions on his right forearm when a mine detonated close aboard' his boat.
"But the citation for the Bronze Star that he was awarded for the same action described 'his arm bleeding and in pain,' saying nothing about arm bruises or shrapnel wounds anywhere.
" 'I don't want to say it's a lie, but it isn't true,' said Charles Kaufman, a retired Air Force captain whose job once was to submit military award requests.
" 'His Bronze Star medal citation appears to be based on an injury he did not receive,' said Mr. Kaufman, who now lives in Germany. 'His arm was not bleeding. If the paperwork had said, "Kerry had a bruised arm," I wonder if he would have been given this medal for bravery?'
...
"Though the campaign released more than 120 pages of Navy records yesterday, Mr. Kerry still refused to release medical records that more thoroughly describe the injuries.
Among the records that the campaign will not release is any explanation for the injuries that led to Mr. Kerry's first Purple Heart, less than a month after going into combat.
"Although the campaign won't release one document, called a 'Sick Call Treatment Record,' officials allowed the Associated Press to view it earlier this week. It said: 'Shrapnel in left arm above elbow. Shrapnel removed and appl[ied] bacitracin dressing. Ret[urned] to duty.'
" 'If it only required bacitracin and a Band-Aid, it sounds like a piece of hot shrapnel that was flying around and may not have even broken the skin,' said Mr. Waller, adding that he'd never heard of a shrapnel injury that didn't require a tetanus shot and time off leading to a Purple Heart."
Earlier Boston Globe reporting on the Silver Star was also inconsistent with the award citation. Eyewitnesses described Kerry going ashore after one VC who had been wounded by 50 calibers rounds fromhis boat. The award said he went ashore against a numerically superior force. The Globe never raised the inconsistency with Kerry.
Washington Times:
"The military records that Sen. John Kerry posted on his Web site yesterday raise new questions about the actions he took to earn several prestigious war medals and whether he deserved them.
...
"Upon inspection of the government documents posted on the Massachusetts Democrat's Web site, other questions arise such as the conflicting descriptions in official records of the injuries Mr. Kerry sustained on March 13, 1969. It was the commendations he earned that day ? a Bronze Star and a third Purple Heart ? that let Mr. Kerry request a transfer out of Vietnam and into a desk job eight months before his tour expired.
"The Personnel Casualty Report from that day says Mr. Kerry 'suffered shrapnel wounds in his left buttocks and contusions on his right forearm when a mine detonated close aboard' his boat.
"But the citation for the Bronze Star that he was awarded for the same action described 'his arm bleeding and in pain,' saying nothing about arm bruises or shrapnel wounds anywhere.
" 'I don't want to say it's a lie, but it isn't true,' said Charles Kaufman, a retired Air Force captain whose job once was to submit military award requests.
" 'His Bronze Star medal citation appears to be based on an injury he did not receive,' said Mr. Kaufman, who now lives in Germany. 'His arm was not bleeding. If the paperwork had said, "Kerry had a bruised arm," I wonder if he would have been given this medal for bravery?'
...
"Though the campaign released more than 120 pages of Navy records yesterday, Mr. Kerry still refused to release medical records that more thoroughly describe the injuries.
Among the records that the campaign will not release is any explanation for the injuries that led to Mr. Kerry's first Purple Heart, less than a month after going into combat.
"Although the campaign won't release one document, called a 'Sick Call Treatment Record,' officials allowed the Associated Press to view it earlier this week. It said: 'Shrapnel in left arm above elbow. Shrapnel removed and appl[ied] bacitracin dressing. Ret[urned] to duty.'
" 'If it only required bacitracin and a Band-Aid, it sounds like a piece of hot shrapnel that was flying around and may not have even broken the skin,' said Mr. Waller, adding that he'd never heard of a shrapnel injury that didn't require a tetanus shot and time off leading to a Purple Heart."
Earlier Boston Globe reporting on the Silver Star was also inconsistent with the award citation. Eyewitnesses described Kerry going ashore after one VC who had been wounded by 50 calibers rounds fromhis boat. The award said he went ashore against a numerically superior force. The Globe never raised the inconsistency with Kerry.
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