Questions Swirl About John Kerry’s War Medals

I am a Vietnam veteran, and I cannot believe that the national media have spent so much time on whether John Kerry deserved two or three Purple Hearts, whether he threw away ribbons or medals or whether he had the right to protest the war (April 27). Why aren’t there any questions as to how George W. Bush could be reassigned to a National Guard unit in Alabama to work on a political campaign while other Americans were drafted and sent to their deaths in Vietnam?

Why aren’t there questions about why Bush didn’t show up for his flight physical (which included a drug test)? During the Vietnam War, the National Guard was the refuge of the privileged who didn’t have the courage to fight or the courage to refuse to fight.

This debate can be distilled to a “character” issue. A man of character fights the wars he supports and protests those he opposes. A man of character admits and accepts responsibility for his mistakes. Bush fails all of these tests.

John Boydstun

Woodland Hills

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Was Kerry entitled to the three Purple Hearts he received, and what did he do with those awards? Did Bush fulfill his commitment to the National Guard? These are questions about a war that occurred 30 years ago. Discussing this nonissue enables both candidates to ignore the issues facing the next president. How convenient of them to ignore the choices that the next president will have to make. Even if you do not vote, one of these bad choices will be elected. I pray for the wisdom of the electorate.

Don Evans

Canoga Park

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How on Earth are we supposed to honor Kerry’s war service as he constantly demands when, by his own action of throwing his ribbons/medals away, he completely dishonors that same service? Just another flip-flop. Come November it is time to throw Kerry back to the Senate.

Catherine Wirtz

Westlake Village

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Could we please stop the inane debate over Kerry’s medals? Has anyone read a history of Vietnam? Of the Vietnam War? Has anyone read former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara’s autobiography, in which he tells the world that the administration knew it could not win a war in the jungles of Southeast Asia, especially against the Vietnamese? That was a stupid war led by politicians with blinders. For me, I’ll save my criticism for those who got us into that mess and not the soldiers who fought in it.

John Ziebarth

Fountain Valley

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Regarding this trumped-up issue of Kerry’s medals -- whether he was wounded enough, whether he deserved them, and so on: Is this how we can expect the soldiers now serving in Iraq to be treated 20 or 30 years from now? Will their valor and decency in performing service for their country be mocked by political hacks and shills for the radical right? And by the way, whatever did Bush do with his medals?

Lynda Little

Palmdale

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Re Michael Ramirez’s April 27 cartoon, “The Medals John Kerry Threw Away”: Aren’t these three medals (for consistency, veracity and integrity) the very same medals awarded to Bush for his meritorious service in the Alabama National Guard? Or am I thinking of some other medals our commander in chief was given for his Vietnam-era service?

Donald Kerns

Garden Grove

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I laughed out loud at the hilarious Ramirez cartoon Tuesday morning: a Bush supporter assailing Kerry ... on his war record! Now, that’s funny.

Gwen Freeman

Los Angeles