THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 22, 1996 TAG: 9605220005
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 33 lines
Having served my military service during the Korean War conflict, I was awarded a couple of area - or unit - type medals because I was a member of, or a crew member of, a ship in the particular unit being cited. If any of the ships or crew participated in actual fighting, then all the members wore a ``V'' for combat. This was common practice.
Now that the muckrackers at National Security News Service have dug up what to them must seem to be an act of world-shaking importance, they have caused a great leader of our Navy to end his own life. To avoid causing the feeding frenzy of the press and disgrace on an otherwise spotless and remarkable record, he decided on this course.
He also felt he should protect the Navy he loved so much and had devoted so much of his life to.
Had the writers and editors of the press bothered to really investigate as well as they have after the fact, they would not have even had a ``story.''
Adm. John J. Shanahan of The Center For Defense Information, as well as former CNO, Adm. Elmo Zumwalt, stated that the wearing of combat ``V's'' was general practice in their wartime eras. Coming from men of this caliber, there should be no doubt of Admiral Boorda's sincerity in wearing them. The fact that he did stop wearing them when controversy arose also lends credibility.
Why couldn't the press find some news for a change instead of trying to report something derogatory about one of America's best. It seems that it's not news unless you hurt someone or focus on someone's grief.
T. M. Millirons
Hertford, N.C., May 18, 1996 by CNB