 In May 1974 , the Church asked the Navy Department to supply seventeen medals that he was said to have been awarded , including the Purple Heart and Navy Commendation Medal , many of them with bronze service stars denoting participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award . The Navy sent only four medals , noting , " The records in this Bureau fail to establish Mr. Hubbard 's entitlement to the other medals and awards listed in your response . " Hubbard responded by circulating to Scientologists a photograph of 21 medals and palms that he said he had been awarded and explained that he had actually won 28 , but that the missing seven had been awarded to him in secret because the naval high command was embarrassed that he had sunk two Japanese submarines in the United States ' " back yard " . A 1994 biography published by the Church of Scientology states that he was awarded 29 medals and awards . 
