For a full description of LBJ's Silver Star Mission see "Means of Assent" by
Robert A Caro. The Silver Star Johnson got was a gift from Douglas
MacArthur and was most assuredly not deserved. (Johnson was a congressman
from Texas at the time).

Jack


"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
...
On 30 Jan 2004 22:40:41 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

Subject: General Patton on Lieutenant Kerry
From: "S. Sampson"
Date: 1/30/04 1:53 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: OnASb.13425$Q_4.11977@okepread03

When pressed about what happened to his medals, Kerry now says
the medals he threw away were not his and that his are displayed in his
Senate office.

Retired General George S. Patton III would later angrily charge that
Kerry's actions had "given aid and comfort to the enemy."

Supremely arrogant and demonstrably contemptuous of the voting public,
Kerry nevertheless regularly touts his military experience during his
presidential run. But he forfeited the right to do that 30 years ago.

And just what were your war exploits? Anything? What he did in combat
no one
denies. And he is a hero and a fine soldier and leader of men as a
result. And
where do you stand in terms of military acheivement against Lt. Kerry?.

Arthur Kramer

Well, Art, I think my military achievements qualify me to speak, and I
agree fully with General Patton's estimation of the honor and
integrity of Senator Kerry. The simple hypocrisy of the medal throwing
incident, using someone else's medals, followed by the prominent
display of the awards in his office for political expediency reduces
the man in my mind.

And, I might add that several hundred military aviators from the
period that I regularly correspond with in an email listserv, AF,
Navy, Marine and Army, are united in their disdain for the Senator.
The former POWs in the group in particular are bothered by the acts of
Senator Kerry.

As for the possession of the awards in the first place, we might wish
to recall that LBJ had a Silver Star as well, although his was won for
being a passenger on a mission in the combat zone, not necessarily a
combat mission. And Lt. Kerry's three Purple Hearts, it has been
reported in a number of sources recently resulted in no missed duty
days--it's a puzzlement.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8