Captain Ed has been all over the developing story about Kerry, medals, boats, enemy fire and the rest.
Part of the fuore is over whether in one incident there was actually enemy fire. This is the incident that led to John Kerry’s Bronze Star and one of his Purple Hearts. Some might think that the distinction is unimportant: after all, he did pull a man out of the river, there were mines in that river, and he was injured (well, as far as we know, anyway). However, the distinction about whether there is enemy fire or not is important in the way the military judges these things. Get rice grains stuck in your ass as a result of being too close to a grenade you have thrown? No Purple Heart. Fire a rocket grenade too close and get shrapnel in your arm? No Purple Heart. Pull a man out of a mine infested river with no enemy fire? No Bronze Star.
Just to show quite how important this distinction is here is the slightly edited citation for a recent medal award in the UK (edits are shown by […]):

“On 28 March 2003, D Squadron Household Cavalry Regiment were probing forward along the Shatt Al Arab waterway, north of Basrah, some thirty kilometres ahead of the main force of 16 Air Assault Brigade. In exposed desert, their mission was to find and interdict the numerically vastly superior, and better equipped, Iraqi 6th Armoured Division.
Trooper Finney, a young armoured vehicle driver with less than a year’s service, was driving the leading Scimitar vehicle of his troop, which had been at the forefront of action against enemy armour for several hours. In the early afternoon, the two leading vehicles paused beside a levee to allow the troop leader to assess fully the situation in front. Without warning, they were engaged by a pair of […1…] ground attack aircraft. Both vehicles were hit and caught fire, and ammunition began exploding inside the turrets. Trooper Finney managed to get out of his driving position and was on the way towards cover when he noticed that his vehicle’s gunner was trapped in the turret. He then climbed onto the fiercely burning vehicle, at the same time placing himself at risk from enemy fire, as well as fire from the aircraft should they return. Despite the smoke and flames and exploding ammunition, he managed to haul out the injured gunner, get him off the vehicle, and move him to a safer position not far away, where he bandaged his wounds.
The troop officer, in the other Scimitar, had been wounded and there were no senior ranks to take control. Despite his relative inexperience, the shock of the attack and the all-too-obvious risk to himself, Trooper Finney recognised the need to inform his headquarters of the situation. He therefore broke cover, returned to his vehicle which was still burning, and calmly and concisely sent a lucid situation report by radio. He then returned to the injured gunner and began helping him towards a Spartan vehicle of the Royal Engineers which had moved forward to assist.
At this point, Trooper Finney noticed that both the aircraft were lining up for a second attack. Notwithstanding the impending danger, he continued to help his injured comrade towards the safety of the Spartan vehicle. Both aircraft fired their cannon and Trooper Finney was wounded in the buttocks and legs, and the gunner in the head. Despite his wounds, Trooper Finney succeeded in getting the gunner to the waiting Spartan. Then, seeing that the driver of the second Scimitar was still in the burning vehicle, Trooper Finney determined to rescue him as well. Despite his wounds and the continuing danger from exploding ammunition, he valiantly attempted to climb up onto the vehicle, but was beaten back by the combination of heat, smoke and exploding ammunition. He collapsed exhausted a short distance from the vehicle, and was recovered by the crew of the Royal Engineers’ Spartan.
During these attacks and their horrifying aftermath, Trooper Finney displayed clear-headed courage and devotion to his comrades which was out of all proportion to his age and experience. Acting with complete disregard for his own safety even when wounded, his bravery was of the highest order throughout.”

Now that is a brave man eh? Surely deserving of a Victoria Cross?
No:
Edits
1. is “Coalition Forces”.

It was a friendly fire incident, the aircraft were two A10s. (No, no blame on the pilots or anything, these things happens in war.)
So, Trooper Finney does not get the VC, but the George Cross. More detail on the award can be found here and an idea of how important the award is can be gained from the fact that there are only 28 living recipients.

Whether there was enemy fire or not is, at least according to the rituals of the military, not just an important point but the important point in whether a medal is given and if it is, which one.

Two further little points caught my eye in the reporting of this story:

Royal Marine L/Cpl Justin Thomas, 25, from Llantwit Fardre, Glamorgan, received the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for providing covering fire for 20 comrades, despite being in an exposed position. “I was lucky to get away with it,” he confessed.

That is rather more the attitude we are used to from military heroes yet even here Trooper Finney is ahead of the pack:

It had been, the Queen told Trooper Christopher Finney yesterday, a very long time since she last had cause to present the George Cross. Fourteen years in fact.
And never before had the cross of silver with its inscription “For Gallantry” been affixed to the chest of so young a recipient.

So the first such award of this medal in 14 years, to the youngest recipient ever (he was 18 at the time of the action), the highest possible honour for his actions, and his reaction?:

“It is tremendous. It still hasn’t really sunk in. I thought all I would get would be a pat on the back and a ‘Well done, mate’. I am extremely proud. It’s not just for me but for all the lads in the unit. It has been devastating. We lost three.”

Regret that not all of his unit survived.

I must point out that I am not a veteran and other than family connections have no ties to the military. However, I have a feeling that if John Kerry had been similarly, no, modest is not the word, nor is reticent, perhaps, military (?) about his service in Vietnam he would be rather closer to winning the election than he seems to be now.