SwiftVets.com

[The bandit]

These questions were aimed at Bob Kerrey, but could easily be JFK as well

DoD News Briefing - Rear Adm. Craig R. Quigley, DASD PA
Thursday, April 26, 2001, 1:30 p.m. EDT


Q: To switch to a different subject -- this is Senator Kerrey and the whole controversy surrounding that -- is there a -- can you explain to us what the process is for going back in history as far as Vietnam? If there are substantial questions raised about awards given to individuals, is that a dead letter? Is there any process? What would have to happen to go back and review whether or not an award was erroneously handed out? How does that happen? Or doesn't it happen?

Quigley: I don't think there's a single method, John, that you must follow in order to ascertain that. You could have lost records. You could have conflicting records. You could have records that conflict with eyewitness accounts. Any of several ways, I think, could start you down that road. I don't think there's a single way that's right, so to speak.

Q: Does the Defense Department take back medals that it has given to people for heroism and other deeds?

Quigley: I would have to take a look at that historically. I don't know off the top of my head. But that's not a very good answer.

Q: If an individual has filed -- it turns out that the individual has filed a false report, an incorrect report, that has led to an individual getting an award for heroism, what would the response be by the Defense Department? How would you proceed?

Quigley: You could conceivably rescind the awarding of the medal.

Q: Is the Pentagon in fact considering looking into that matter or is it looking into the matter?

Quigley: Right now I know of no such efforts under way or considered, Bob.

Q: Is there any plan to look into the incident itself that Senator Kerrey was involved in?

Quigley: Not that I'm aware of at this point, no.

Q: What would it take for that to be considered?

Quigley: I don't know.

Q: Well, you know, I was just -- there have been a couple of cases recently in which the Pentagon has conducted quite lengthy investigations, including the recent report about No Gun Ri and about -- in which it was also alleged that civilians were killed. This incident would seem to be comparable in some respects. Why is there no consideration of looking into it and setting the record straight?

Quigley: I don't know of any at this point, Jamie. I'm not ruling that out. I don't know of any at this point, though.

Q: Well, the issue, Craig, seems to be the citation for a Bronze Star in which Senator Kerrey and other members of the unit now say what was alleged in the citation for the Bronze Star is not true, that they encountered aggressors and killed these aggressors and gave a body count.

Now all the participants -- there's variations of degree -- are saying that in fact they killed unarmed civilians in this unit. I mean, that's the testimony of pretty much everybody involved. I think of the -- Admiral Boorda's award of a Bronze Star, which was also investigated on the basis of news accounts.

Is it likely he'll look into this citation for this Bronze Star for possible removal?

Quigley: I don't know. I can't answer your question today.

Q: Is it possible?

Quigley: Sure.

Q: Is it standard to hand out medals when it is only unarmed civilians who die?

Quigley: No. No, I don't think that's standard.

[NoDonkey]

I believe the subject here is Sen. Bob Kerrey (who was a Navy Seal, I believe), rather than Sen. John Kerry. An understandable mistake.
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"Liberalism is totalitarianism with a human face." - Thomas Sowell

[The bandit]

[jalexson]

Good point. There was still a question about Bob Kerrey's actions because of conflicting accounts. There is no question that John Kerry's silver star is based on a lie. The description of events he supports indicates that contrary to the statement in the citation about leading a landing party against a superior enemy he led a landing party of 2 against a single VC. When the odds are two against one shouldn't the one get the medal rather than the two?

Incidentally on the subject of Bob Kerrey, there was an article posted on the now defunct im-ur web site indicating that the Green Berets doubted the account for his Medal of Honor as well. They believed that he was injured in a friendly fire incident after he split up his Seal Team -- something that could have happened to John Kerry had he chased Charlie into the sights of one of other boats and they had opened up without knowing he was behind Charlie.
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"That awful power, the public opinion of a nation, is created in America by a horde of ignorant, self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditching and shoe making and fetched up in journalism on their way to the poor house."
-- Mark Twain

[DougReese]