THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 15, 1996 TAG: 9606150315
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 28 lines
Navy Secretary John H. Dalton is considering a request that former chief of naval operations Adm. Jeremy ``Mike'' Boorda be posthumously awarded combat V's on two of his service ribbons - V's that became the focus of a magazine investigation that was cited as contributing to Boorda's suicide last month.
Dalton, speaking to reporters at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, said he had received a letter from retired Navy Adm. Elmo R. ``Bud'' Zumwalt requesting that Boorda be awarded the V's - tiny bronze letters that attach to the ``fruit salad'' of ribbons worn on naval uniforms.
Boorda, who shot and killed himself at the Washington Navy Yard on May 16, wore the decorations on his Navy Achievement and Navy Commendation ribbons, apparently without authorization. He eventually removed them.
His suicide came months later, as he was scheduled to meet with Newsweek reporters investigating the propriety of his wearing the decorations.
Zumwalt, himself a former CNO, wrote Dalton on May 29 to request that the secretary award the V's to Boorda to remove any stigma attached to the popular Navy leader.
Dalton said Friday, however, that he was mulling the matter.
``I have Adm. Zumwalt's letter, and I have the matter under consideration,'' he said. ``But I haven't decided yet.'' by CNB