- The U.S. Navy on Friday rejected a legal watchdog group's request to open an investigation into military awards given to Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) during the Vietnam War, saying his medals were properly approved.
"Our examination found that existing documentation regarding the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart medals indicates the awards approval process was properly followed," the Navy's inspector general, Vice Admiral Ronald Route, said in a memo written to Navy Secretary Gordon England.
"In particular, the senior officers who awarded the medals were properly delegated authority to do so. In addition, we found that they correctly followed the procedures in place at the time for approving these awards."
Kerry was a naval officer during the Vietnam War, serving on a river Swift Boat. He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star for saving the life of a comrade and three Purple Hearts for combat injuries.
In rejecting the request for an investigation made last month by the group Judicial Watch, Route said that "conducting any additional review regarding events that took place over 30 years ago would not be productive."
The Kerry campaign welcomed the decision.
"We hope that if others make false charges about this in the future, that they'll remember this decision," said Chad Clanton, a spokesman for the Kerry campaign.
- 'A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED'
"We're a little disappointed, and we will look at other avenues to try to get the truth out here," said Judicial Watch spokesman Dave Warner. "John Kerry has not released all of his military records. And we think he should."
Judicial Watch said on Aug. 18 it was asking the Pentagon and the Navy to look into the awards as well as Kerry's involvement in anti-war activities after his active-duty service in the war.
Judicial Watch said it based its request on allegations made in a recently published book, "Unfit for Command," by former Navy officer John O'Neill and co-author Jerome Corsi, and on news media interviews with others who served with Kerry in Vietnam.
In rejecting the request, Route said, "The passage of time would make reconstruction of the facts and circumstances unreliable, and would not allow the information gathered to be considered in the context of the time in which the events took place."
Route said he also "considered the fact that Senator Kerry's post-active duty activities were public and that military and civilian officials were aware of his actions at the time."
"For these reasons, I have determined that Senator Kerry's awards were properly approved and will take no further action in this matter."
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