I don't know if there were any shenanigans with medals/awards etc but....

Supposedly, American river patrol tactics were to cruise the delta in pairs (minimum) looking for suspicious vessels/activity and when fire was taken, beach the boat 100-200 yards from the point of contact. Then dismount and try to circle back on land to counterattack at the ambush site.
Often the enemy would be gone or repositioned to meet the counterattack.

If it's true that Kerry would take his boat and drive it right into the enemy fire at first contact, then yes, he had some balls.