Come on now. You know as well as I do, that Kerry isn't a war criminal. People are just so desperate that they're taking what he said out of context, and trying to twist his words to where people will be deceived into thinking that he committed atrocities. Kerry was trying to explain the difference between a soldier that does his duty and a soldier that committed atrocities. He wasn't admitting to, or saying that he took part in those crimes. He was basically saying he served in Vietnam, and did what soldiers do, and follow the orders he was given.
If he had been ordered to chop peoples heads or arms off, push them in a ditch, pour gas on them and set them on fire, or shoot people he knew were unarmed, he wouldn't do that. He was trying to convey from his perspective about how terrible war is, and that war itself is an "atrocity."
I'll admit that he didn't no such a great job explaining this subject. He did it in an intellectual way, that some people just couldn't understand. He should have said it in a clearer, simpler way.
Now as far as the medals that he said he threw over the White House fence during the days of the Vietnam war protests. He said he threw 6,7, or 8 medals over the fence. Evidently he wasn't referring to his Purple Hearts, his Bronze Star, or even his Silver Star (that's only five).
He was actually talking about his incidental medals. When you're in the service, you're awarded different medals. You may get a medal for good conduct, rank, years of service, leadership, what country you served in, etc. The medals Kerry threw over the White House fence were these incidental medals, not his higher ones. When asked if he still has his Purple Hearts and other higher medals, he said I still have them somewhere.
"I think John Kerry's service in Vietnam was admirable" ~ G W Bush