The US navy's most senior admiral shot and killed himself yesterday leaving behind two suicide notes after questions arose about having worn combat medals he had not earned, Pentagon officials said. Admiral Jeremy "Mike" Boorda died of a gunshot wound to the chest after shooting himself in the garden of his home at Washington's Navy Yard, the officials said.
The admiral was supposed to have met at the same hour two Newsweek reporters about two navy combat medals with that he wore until about a year and a half ago, the sources said. Although the admiral had earned the Navy Commendation Medal and the Navy Commendation for Achievement Medal, the citations did not designate them with a which signifies they were for acts in combat.
A highly decorated officer, he served as commander in chief of allied forces in southern Europe from November 1991 until being named as chief of navy operations in April, 1994.