http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/05/25/navy-probes-discrepancies-seal-sniper-chris-kyles-medal-claims.html?ESRC=airforce-a_160525.nlNavy officials say they’re looking into the circumstances under which decorated Navy SEAL Chris Kyle was issued discharge papers containing more military valor awards than he apparently earned.
"We recognize that there is a discrepancy and we are looking into it right now," a Navy official, who asked for anonymity in order to discuss the situation, told Military.com.
The new probe comes in the wake of an investigative story by The Intercept, published Wednesday, that highlights Navy personnel documents showing Kyle earned only one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars, rather than the two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars that he publicly claimed.
Kyle, who has been called the deadliest U.S. military sniper in history, shot to fame when he published his memoir, "American Sniper," in 2009. The story became a blockbuster movie starring Bradley Cooper in 2014. The year before the film’s release, Kyle was tragically murdered by a disturbed veteran at a shooting range in Texas.
While some of Kyle's previous claims have been successfully challenged -- notably, former Minnesota governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura successfully sued Kyle for defamation over a claim the Kyle punched him in a bar -- questions about his medal count have not gained much public traction.
Staff for Kyle's widow, Taya Kyle, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Inquiries to Kyle's American Sniper co-authors, Jim DeFelice and Scott McEwen, also went unanswered.
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