posted on August 19, 2004 10:10:38 AM new
Records Contradict Kerry Critic's Charges -Report
Aug. 19, 2004 — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Military records contradict a critic's charge that U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry did not come under fire during the battle that resulted in military honors for Kerry, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.
Larry Thurlow, who commanded a Navy boat alongside Kerry in Vietnam, has disputed that the Massachusetts Democratic senator was shot at during the March 1969 raid that resulted in Bronze Stars to both men.
But Thurlow's military records, partially obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by The Washington Post, contain references to "enemy small arms and automatic fire" directed at "all units" of the five-boat flotilla, the newspaper says.
Kerry has made frequent references to his Vietnam war experience during his campaign to make the case for his aptitude as a military leader. Thurlow is a member of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group that has sponsored a television commercial questioning Kerry's war record.
posted on August 19, 2004 10:41:35 AM new
Statement By Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Member Larry Thurlow
I am convinced that the language used in my citation for a Bronze Star was language taken directly from John Kerry's report which falsely described the action on the Bay Hap River as action that saw small arms fire and automatic weapons fire from both banks of the river.
To this day, I can say without a doubt in my mind, along with other accounts from my shipmates -- there was no hostile enemy fire directed at my boat or at any of the five boats operating on the river that day.
I submitted no paperwork for a medal nor did I file an after action report describing the incident. To my knowledge, John Kerry was the only officer who filed a report describing his version of the incidents that occurred on the river that day.
It was not until I had left the Navy -- approximately three months after I left the service -- that I was notified that I was to receive a citation for my actions on that day.
I believed then as I believe now that I received my Bronze Star for my efforts to rescue the injured crewmen from swift boat number three and to conduct damage control to prevent that boat from sinking. My boat and several other swift boats went to the aid of our fellow swift boat sailors whose craft was adrift and taking on water. We provided immediate rescue and damage control to prevent boat three from sinking and to offer immediate protection and comfort to the injured crew.
After the mine exploded, leaving swift boat three dead in the water, John Kerry's boat, which was on the opposite side of the river, fled the scene. US Army Special Forces officer Jim Rassmann, who was on Kerry's boat at the time, fell off the boat and into the water. Kerry's boat returned several minutes later -- under no hail of enemy gunfire -- to retrieve Rassmann from the river only seconds before another boat was going to pick him up.
Kerry campaign spokespersons have conflicting accounts of this incident -- the latest one being that Kerry's boat did leave but only briefly and returned under withering enemy fire to rescue Mr. Rassmann. However, none of the other boats on the river that day reported enemy fire nor was anyone wounded by small arms action. The only damage on that day was done to boat three -- a result of the underwater mine. None of the other swift boats received damage from enemy gunfire.
And in a new development, Kerry campaign officials are now finally acknowledging that while Kerry's boat left the scene, none of the other boats on the river ever left the damaged swift boat. This is a direct contradiction to previous accounts made by Jim Rassmann in the Oregonian newspaper and a direct contradiction to the "No Man Left Behind" theme during the Democratic National Convention.
These ever changing accounts of the Bay Hap River incident by Kerry campaign officials leave me asking one question. If no one ever left the scene of the Bay Hap River incident, how could anyone be left behind?
posted on August 19, 2004 10:50:46 AM new
"Thurlow and other anti-Kerry veterans have repeatedly alleged that Kerry was the author of an after-action report that described how his boat came under enemy fire. Kerry campaign researchers dispute that assertion, and there is no convincing documentary evidence to settle the argument. As the senior skipper in the flotilla, Thurlow might have been expected to write the after-action report for March 13, but he said that Kerry routinely "duked the system" to present his version of events."
First it is doctors that aren't even on the record and then when the record is produced and it shows another big lie, they claim they didn't write the report.
But even if the "senior" skipper didn't write the report, to claim he didn't read it or approve it is beyond belief.
These guys are liars of the worst sort. It is not hard to believe that these "Swift Boat" liars club would murder innocent civilians and commit war crimes.
posted on August 19, 2004 11:02:44 AM new
Again because the neocons keep forgetting:
Kerry went and fought IN COMBAT for his country. This is true no matter what the Republican paid detractors say.
Will they say the same about the brave men and women who have fought in Iraq for us???
Will decorated heroes from that war face slander if someday THEY run for office?
YES, they will because the Republicans will stoop to anything to win.
How demoralizing for them knowing that so-called flag waving "patriotic" Republicans will only slander their efforts and sacrifices.
Bush stayed home drunk aiding and abetting the enemy by not fighting. A traitor and a coward
posted on August 19, 2004 02:07:26 PM newKerry went and fought IN COMBAT for his country. This is true no matter what the Republican paid detractors say.
And that is why the Swiftvets are airing their opinion on national TV about kerrys self confessed heroics.
posted on August 19, 2004 03:35:48 PM new
President Bush is not fazed by other candidates' war records. He said, I may have not fought in Vietnam, but I created one.".........
posted on August 19, 2004 03:53:15 PM new
Since we have duplicate posts going here...want to be sure no one misses Thurlow's statement issued today.
taken from the Swift Boat Vets website...in answer to the new charges from the Post,
-----
For Immediate Release August 19, 2004
Statement By Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Member Larry Thurlow
I am convinced that the language used in my citation for a Bronze Star was language taken directly from John Kerry's report which falsely described the action on the Bay Hap River as action that saw small arms fire and automatic weapons fire from both banks of the river.
To this day, I can say without a doubt in my mind, along with other accounts from my shipmates-there was no hostile enemy fire directed at my boat or at any of the five boats operating on the river that day.
I submitted no paperwork for a medal nor did I file an after action report describing the incident. To my knowledge, John Kerry was the only officer who filed a report describing his version of the incidents that occurred on the river that day.
my note: sure they would have used kerry's account since he was the only one applying for a medal to get out of Dodge asap.
It was not until I had left the Navy-approximately three months after I left the service-that I was notified that I was to receive a citation for my actions on that day.
I believed then as I believe now that I received my Bronze Star for my efforts to rescue the injured crewmen from swift boat number three and to conduct damage control to prevent that boat from sinking. My boat and several other swift boats went to the aid of our fellow swift boat sailors whose craft was adrift and taking on water. We provided immediate rescue and damage control to prevent boat three from sinking and to offer immediate protection and comfort to the injured crew.
After the mine exploded, leaving swift boat three dead in the water, John Kerry's boat, which was on the opposite side of the river, *fled* the scene. US Army Special Forces officer Jim Rassmann, who was on Kerry's boat at the time, fell off the boat and into the water.
Kerry's boat returned several minutes later-under no hail of enemy gunfire-to retrieve Rassmann from the river only seconds before another boat was going to pick him up.
Kerry campaign spokespersons have conflicting accounts of this incident-the latest one being that Kerry's boat did leave but only briefly and returned under withering enemy fire to rescue Mr. Rassmann. However, none of the other boats on the river that day reported enemy fire nor was anyone wounded by small arms action. The only damage on that day was done to boat three-a result of the underwater mine. None of the other swift boats received damage from enemy gunfire.
And in a new development, Kerry campaign officials are now finally acknowledging that while Kerry's boat left the scene, none of the other boats on the river ever left the damaged swift boat. This is a direct contradiction to previous accounts made by Jim Rassmann in the Oregonian newspaper and a direct contradiction to the "No Man Left Behind" theme during the Democratic National Convention.
These ever changing accounts of the Bay Hap River incident by Kerry campaign officials leave me asking one question. If no one ever left the scene of the Bay Hap River incident, how could anyone be left behind?
http://www.swiftvets.com/
posted on August 19, 2004 04:11:40 PM new
Yes this is redundent but that doesn't seem to stop the right wing republican lies against Kerry:
copy of email
Dear Dave,
Today marks the end of the dishonest and disgusting smear campaign against John Kerry and his crewmates from Vietnam. This morning on the front page of the Washington Post, one of the central figures in the effort to distort John Kerry's military service was completely discredited.
The group behind this smear campaign calls itself "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." But the truth is the last thing they are interested in.
President Bush refuses to condemn this group. He wants them to do his dirty work. But this effort to distract attention from the issues that matter most has failed.
This morning, John Kerry said he learned an important lesson in Vietnam: "When you're under attack, the best thing to do is turn your boat into the attacker." Today he took these lessons to heart, knocked down these charges, and made a firm commitment to the American people that the lies about his military service will not stop him from fighting for affordable health care, good-paying jobs, and keeping America secure.
This doesn't mean that these blatantly false attacks won't continue -- the Bush-Cheney campaign is desperate and has no record to run on. But it does mean that we are not going to let them distract us from letting people know about John Kerry's plan to make America stronger at home and respected in the world.
posted on August 19, 2004 04:54:50 PM new
So it isn't ok for the SwiftBoatVets to be funded by $100,000 from a Texas republican but it is ok for Moveon to be funded with $14,000,000 from demo Soros.
It's just not fair for the anti kerry republicans/independants/democrats to fight back, is that what you Bush hatters are trying to say?
The American Spectator's George Neumayr notes, "Kerry is being hoist by his own petard. Did he really think that he could launch his political career on discrediting the Vietnam war, including his role in it, and then complete that career by taking credit for fighting in it? Kerry has never persuasively explained why he deserves so much credit for fighting in a war he said was utterly discreditable."
posted on August 19, 2004 08:41:41 PM new
The press is showing more and more all the time from these hundreds of "liars".
I saw an interview with Kerry's CO. He said he denied Kerry's 1st Purple Heart request and that Kerry put it through after he left. I found it humorous that Kerry nominated himself for decorations.
O'Neill said he is trying to get permission to use the debate footage on the Dick Cavett Show. The I guess we'll have a primer from the Dems about what Kerry said was not what he meant.
posted on August 20, 2004 09:30:00 AM new
Glad to hear that desquirrel....but look what this article says about the imbalance of the news:
ABC, CBS & NBC Gave 75 Stories to Bush "AWOL" Charge, 9 to Claims Kerry Embellished War Record
TV Gives No Respect to Swift
Boat Vets for Truth
Back in February, the three broadcast networks were obsessed with the story of President Bush's National Guard service. But in May, when John Kerry's former Navy colleagues from Vietnam went to the National Press Club to charge that Kerry's tales of heroism as a Swift Boat commander were highly exaggerated, those same networks acted as if their job was to bury the news, not report it.
Back on May 4, ABC and NBC ignored the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's press conference, while CBS's Byron Pitts claimed the veterans had merely "unleashed decades of bitterness." His Evening News story ignored Kerry's record, but challenged his critics: "If you think this is just a concerned group of veterans, think again."
Even though the Swift Vets have now published a book, Unfit for Command, and sponsored a TV ad, the networks still aren't investigating their charges. MRC analysts examined ABC, CBS and NBC's morning and evening news shows. They found 75 stories this year questioning Bush's National Guard service, but only nine detailing any of the Swift Vets' anti-Kerry charges, an eight-to-one disparity. But the networks' double standard runs far deeper than the amount of coverage:
