Kerry's PCF (Swift) Boats Records [Where Is He?]

Swift Boats Net ^ | Composite

[Hon]

Kerry commanded his first swift boat, No. 44, from December 1968 through January 1969. He received no medals while serving on this craft.

Kerry experienced his first intense combat action on Dec. 2, 1968. He was slightly wounded on his arm, earning his first Purple Heart.

In late January 1969, Kerry joined a five-man crew on swift boat No. 94 completing 18 missions over 48 days, almost all of them in the Mekong Delta.

Kerry earned his second Purple Heart after sustaining a minor shrapnel wound in his left thigh on Feb. 20, 1969.

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February 28, 1969: When Kerry's Patrol Craft Fast 94 received a B-40 rocket shot from shore, he hot dogged his craft beaching it in the center of the enemy position. To his surprise, an enemy soldier sprang up from a hole not ten feet from Patrol Craft 94 and fled. The boat's machine gunner hit and wounded the fleeing Viet Cong as he darted behind a hootch. The twin .50s gunner fired at the Viet Cong. He said he "laid 50 rounds" into the hootch before Kerry leaped from the boat and dashed in to administer a "coup de grace" to the wounded Viet Cong. Kerry returned with the B-40 rocket and launcher. Kerry was given a Silver Star for his actions.

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Kerry and crew stand together in An Thoi, Vietnam, on February 28, 1969, after presentation of Kerry's Silver Star. He also received a Purple Heart for a minor wound. From left: Del Sandusky, John Kerry, Gene Thorson, Thomas Belodeau. Kneeling from left, Mike Medeiros, Fred Short.

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On March 13, 1969, a mine detonated near Kerry's boat, slighting wounding Kerry in the right arm. He was awarded his third Purple Heart. PCF (Patrol Craft Fast) 94 crew in March 1969, from left, Gene Thorson, David Alston, Thomas Belodeau, Del Sandusky, and John Kerry.

PCF 44
Crew	e-mail Address	Dates	Base	Comments
		17 April 1966	Cam Ranh Bay	first arrived in South Vietnam
Leland M. Mills, LT, OinC		4/66-??	Cam Ranh Bay	??Glenview, IL??
George Hoover, BM2		4/66-??	Cam Ranh Bay
David Franklin Parsons Jr, RM3	brenda.parsons@version.net	4/66-??	Cam Ranh Bay	Lakeland, FL
Francis Joseph "Sonny" Buchta, EN3		4/66-5/66	Cam Ranh Bay	Dayton, TX
Cox, GMG3		4/66-??	Cam Ranh Bay
Wayne Watkins, SN		4/66-??	Cam Ranh Bay
Lucian Gale Jewell, EN1		5/66-1/67	Cam Ranh Bay	Dawson Springs, KY
James A. Colombo, LT, OinC	Midnightvette@cs.com	??-6/67	Cam Ranh Bay	Hagerstown, MD
James Stephen Matheny, RMSN	jsm4914@peoplepc.com	3/67-6/67	Cam Ranh Bay	Granite, IL
Michael Gene Cosper, GMG3		??-6/67	Cam Ranh Bay
Gary Earl Nolan, RM3		??-6/67	Cam Ranh Bay
Ralph E. Duerre, LTJG, OinC		?/67-12/67	Cam Ranh Bay	was from Ithaca, NY
Joseph R. LaVoie II, QM1	JLavoie101@.aol.com	67-68	Cam Ranh Bay	Kent, WA
W.P. "Sonny" Taylor, RD2	tnfayette@aol.com	5/67-3/68	Cam Ranh Bay	Oakland, TN
		12/27/67-4/30/68		overhaul in Sasebo, Japan
Robert T. Grace, LTJG, OinC		5/68-??	Cam Ranh Bay	Virginia Beach, VA
MacKinnon, QM2		5/68-??	Cam Ranh Bay
Goss, BM3		5/68-??	Cam Ranh Bay
Anthony, EN2		5/68-??	Cam Ranh Bay
Donald J. Shaw, RD2		5/68-7/68	Cam Ranh Bay	Northbrook, IL
Robert Allen Kreyer, GMG2	bkreyer@egcrc.net	5/68-8/68	Cam Ranh Bay	Novoto, CA
John Everet Repshire, EN1	russpr@st-tel.net	6/68-??	Cam Ranh Bay	Russell Springs, KS
Peter V. Carey, LTJG, OinC			Cam Ranh Bay	was from Farmington, CT
Thomas Williams Wright III, LT, OinC	twright3@hotmail.com	11/68-4/69	An Thoi	Savannah, GA
James T. Thompson, EN2		11/68-4/69	An Thoi
George E. Bobb III, RD3		11/68-4/69	An Thoi	Westerville, OH
William J. Newman, BM3		11/68-4/69	An Thoi
Donald Eugene Kinser, BMSN		11/68-4/69	An Thoi
Frederick  J. Nastasuk, GMGSN		11/68-4/69	An Thoi
Michael A. Adkins, LTJG, OinC		6/69-5/70		La Mesa, CA
		31 October 1969	Saigon	transferred to South Vietnamese Navy
PCF 3851

- PCF 44 and 6 other swifts were delivered to Cam Ranh Bay, from Subic Bay, PI, onboard the USS Tortuga, LSD-29 on 17 April 1966.   While offloading, at night, from the LSD, one (1) boat suffered a damaged screw and four (4) others damaged skegs.

- PCFs 43, 44 and 47 stopped an infiltration attempt by taking an enemy arms trawler under fire and destroying it, 29 February 1968.

- In August 1969, a ceramic gunshield was installed on mount 52 for evaluation.   The disadvantages of restricting the movement of the .50 caliber mount, with the after pin removed, the restricted viewing area, due to the height of the shield, and the fact that it was a one shot item, that would have to be replaced after any damage, ruled out any further installations.

PCF 94
Crew	e-mail Address	Dates	Base	Comments
		October 1966	An Thoi	first arrived in South Vietnam
Thomas S. Winslow, LTJG, OinC		5/67-5/68	An Thoi	Oakland, CA
Quint, RM1		5/67-5/68	An Thoi
Carlyle John Brown, EN2	johnbrown578@aol.com	5/67-5/68	An Thoi	Watervliet, MI
Guraltemo, GMG2		5/67-5/68	An Thoi
James L. Brookshire, BM3	jbrook1029@aol.com	5/67-12/67	An Thoi
Mike ????, SN		5/67-5/68	An Thoi	Navajo Indian
Thomas M. Herritage II, OinC		3/68-3/69		Novi, MI
Larry James Balok, OinC	seascow@msn.com	7/68-11/68	An Thoi	Bradenton, FL
James L. Miller, RD1	jlmiller@tscnet.com	7/68-11/68	An Thoi
Kenneth Poole, EN2		7/68-11/68	An Thoi
Vern Radcliff, GMG3		7/68-11/68	An Thoi
		11/9/68-1/17/69		overhaul at NSF Cat Lo
Edward Robert "Tedd" Peck, LTJG, OinC	tpeck49@cableone.net	1/69-1/69	An Thoi	Santa Rosa, CA
Delbert Sandusky, QM1		1/69-1/69	An Thoi
Eugene Kenneth "Thor" Thorson, EN2		1/69-1/69	An Thoi	Ames, IA
Michael Richard Eugene Medeiros, QM2		1/69-1/69	An Thoi	San Leandro, CA
Stanley E. Jenereski, RD2	Jenereski@aol.com	1/69-1/69	An Thoi	Southborough, MA
Daniel Salinas II, LTJG, OinC		1/69-??	An Thoi
Joseph Edward Muharsky, RD2	ndc@mwwed.com	1/69-4/69	An Thoi	Mentor, OH
Larry G. Potter, QM2		1/69-??	An Thoi
James Barry Bogart, EN3	bogey67401@yahoo.com	1/69-8/69	An Thoi	Salina, KS
Dalmas K. Coates, BM3	dalyeame@midusa.net	1/69-??	An Thoi	Wamego, KS
Chris Whalen, GMGSN		1/69-??	An Thoi
Henry "Buddy" Berman, QM2	buddyb@atlantic.net	5/69-7/69	An Thoi	DeLeon Springs, FL
Alfonso Abrego Garza, RD3	algarza@earthlink.net	6/69-6/70	An Thoi/Cat Lo	Richmond, TX
John Ellis O'Neill, LTJG, OinC	oneilljohn@copn.com	9/69-3/70	An Thoi/Cat Lo	Houston, TX
Harry George McConnell, LTJG, OinC	hmcconnell@daytonalaw.com	12/69-11/70	Cat Lo	Ormond Beach, FL
Bradford Miles Slepicka, RD3	ElbowG97@aol.com	9/70-10/70	Cat Lo/Sa Dec	Katy, TX
		1 October 1970	Cat Lo	transferred to South Vietnamese Navy
PCF 3915

- On 29 January 1969, PCFs 5, 72, 93 and 94, together with units of COSDIV 13, conducted operations in the Cua Lon river.  PCFs 72 and 94 came under fire while probing a side canal resultings in 3 USN WIA and light damage to PCF 94.

- PCF-94, in company with PCFs 22, 35 and VNN PCF-3806, 14 January 1970, were supporting a troop sweep when PCF-94 was hit by a claymore mine resulting in two (2) friendly WIA and damage to the hull and one engine.

- While patrolling on the Rac Giang Thanh, 25 April 1970, PCFs 3 and 94 came under heavy AK-47 and B-40 rocket attack.  Three (3) B-40 rockets detonated close aboard PCF-94, causing shrapnel damage, the starboard bow was also hit by 9 AK-47 rounds.  One crewman on PCF-3 was wounded.  The PCFs suppressed the fire and then spotted for a SEAWOLVES strike on the surrounding area.

[Hon]

Just another piece to the puzzle.

[Semper Paratus]

Don't ever forget it was Kerry and his 'rat pack that started it with Vietnam.

[Hon]

"Kerry experienced his first intense combat action on Dec. 2, 1968. He was slightly wounded on his arm, earning his first Purple Heart."

There is no mention of this intense combat action in the records of PCF 44.

Granted these records are not very detailed and do not claim to be definitive or even extensive.

[Hon]

In late January 1969, Kerry joined a five-man crew on swift boat No. 94 completing 18 missions over 48 days, almost all of them in the Mekong Delta.

Kerry earned his second Purple Heart after sustaining a minor shrapnel wound in his left thigh on Feb. 20, 1969.

February 28, 1969: When Kerry's Patrol Craft Fast 94 received a B-40 rocket shot from shore, he hot dogged his craft beaching it in the center of the enemy position. Kerry was given a Silver Star for his actions.

+++++

The record here says:

- On 29 January 1969, PCFs 5, 72, 93 and 94, together with units of COSDIV 13, conducted operations in the Cua Lon river. PCFs 72 and 94 came under fire while probing a side canal resultings in 3 USN WIA and light damage to PCF 94.

- PCF-94, in company with PCFs 22, 35 and VNN PCF-3806, 14 January 1970, were supporting a troop sweep when PCF-94 was hit by a claymore mine resulting in two (2) friendly WIA and damage to the hull and one engine.

++++++

There is NO mention of the engagement that got Kerry a Silver Star. Isn't that a little weird?

[Constitution Day]

Very interesting. BTTT.

[PISANO]

Like all Democrats, JF Kerry received a HEAP of glory at a very small price. I have no problem saying that he was awful lucky and/or had some kind of PULL to get superficial scratches turned into THREE purple hearts in just 3 and 1/2 months. However earning a Silver Star for what was stated in this article is beyond belief.

[Hon]

I wonder how many of these guys are now going to get emails, asking about their impressions of Kerry--if they even can remember him.

[onyx]

*ping*

[VadeRetro]

Thanks for posting this, as I was curious about the dates of service. Kerry has had the brazen dishonesty to refer to his service in "Mr. Nixon's War."

Kerry had been commanding swift boats in Vietnam for two months before Nixon was ever inaugurated. Did he really not know that Lyndon Baines Johnson, a Democrat, was President when he, Kerry, went to war?

Nixon would have to have made peace within two months of taking office to have had a prayer of dodging Kerry's slur and I doubt even that would have worked.

[Hon]

Maybe Kerry preceives it that way because he didn't get into much combat until after Nixon was elected President.

Of course we know why he says it. He can't blame LBJ or his own personal god, JFK.

[Tunehead54]

Ping - Bump!

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;-)

[VadeRetro]

Maybe Kerry preceives it that way because he didn't get into much combat until after Nixon was elected President.

Or maybe Kerry simply has no truth in him.

[js1138]

Granted these records are not very detailed and do not claim to be definitive or even extensive.

He should have to prove he was wounded. Who wrote it up? Where are the photos? Who witnessed it?

[SAMWolf]

Interesting. Looks like Kerry is "AWOL" from these particular records.

[T'wit]

>> February 28, 1969: ... he hot dogged his craft beaching it in the center of the enemy position. ... ...Kerry leaped from the boat and dashed in to administer a "coup de grace" to the wounded Viet Cong.

I received a more critical report on this incident by e-mail. The writer, who also fought on swift boats and other river craft, said that one was never, ever to beach a craft -- then it would be defenseless. If somebody went ashore, it would restrict the gunner's field of fire as well.

As for that "coup de grace" -- that was a war crime. We do not shoot the wounded.

[VadeRetro]

As for that "coup de grace" -- that was a war crime. We do not shoot the wounded.

I would hope we shoot the walking, armed, unsurrendered wounded. They can shoot us.

[Fenris6]

Looks like Kerry got his Silver Star for committing a war crime?

1) I thought it was illegal to use 50 cal on human targets?

2) I thought as a US Soldier, Kerry should have offered the wonded Viet Cong quarter - or was it okay to murder a helpless enemy in cold blood?

Some reporter should ask Kerry to clear this up. If this is what happened, his Silver Star is a disgace. I'd also like to know who wrote him up for the Silver Star - and why.

[Hon]

COASTAL DIVISION THIRTEEN SWIFTGRAM

SWIFTGRAM 1-69

This "SWIFTGRAM" is designed to keep the families and friends of Coastal Division THIRTEEN apprised of the happenings within the division. It will be published at periodic intervals and will be available to each man to send home.

Although nineteen sixty-nine is still new, Coastal Division THIRTEEN has already established an enviable reputation for the new year, and at its present pace, will soon become unbeatable.

As you may realize, operational committments have been keeping the boats in the division on patrol approximately 60% of the time, with the remaining 40% in-port time being taken up by boat maintenance, duty, and crew rest. The schedule is arduous, but the crews are more than holding their own.

Coastal Division THIRTEEN is presently the largest Swift Boat Division in Vietnam. Besides our regular ocean and river patrols, for the past five months we have actively been participating in Operation Sea Lords, a series of highly successful raids into Viet Cong controlled waterways in the Mekong Delta. These raids have inflicted heavy casualties and considerable damage on the enemy, and though several boats have been damaged, the spirit and enthusiasm of the division remains high.

In spite of our busy schedule, personnel in the divisionhave found time to study for advancement exams, and to enjoy an occasional beach party.

The crews lucky enough not to be on patrol on certain Sunday afternoons enjoyed beach parties. with lots of beer, bar-b-qued steaks and chicken, good times were had by all. The main event of each party was a football game between the officers and enlisted men. Although they played hard, the enlisted men couldn't quite match the talents of their officers, and went down to defeat on several occasions. However, it always turned out to be an even match in the beer-drinking category. As an item of interest;during the recent basketball game the enlisted men lead the officers 50-48 at half time - it ended that way as the officers were unable to continue in the torrid Vietnam heat.

On other occasions the officers and men joined forces and represented Coastal Division THIRTEEN in the Cat Lo Naval Base football and basketball tournaments. The "Swifts" came out in first in football, and lost a well-played game in basketball to wind up in second place.

Due to the tempo of operations in Operation Sea Lords, the increased demands upon each crew has brought forth acts of courage and heroism which cannot go unobserved.

As a result of these highly dangerous river incursions the following awards have been recommended for our men:

Navy Cross 1
Silver Star 1
Bronze Star 26
Navy Commendation Medal 20
Purple Heart 16

On 22 February General Abrams and Vice Admiral Zumwalt took time from their busy schedules to talk to and commend the division for the job it is doing.

The present pace of operations will continue for quite a while. Towards the end of March the monsoon seas will be abating, and the tempo of operations will increase with more patrol stations to be manned.

The crews will be busier than ever, and although the time passes quickly, all look forward anxiously to the day when they will return home.

Until our next SWIFTGRAM, I would like to wish all of you a very successful 1969.

J.W. Streuli

J. W. STREULI
LCDR U.S. Navy
Commander Coastal Division 13

http://swiftboats.net/extras/cosdiv13swiftgram1-69.htm

Looks like Kerry scored the only Silver Star in the group.

[Fenris6]

[i]I would hope we shoot the walking, armed, unsurrendered wounded. They can shoot us.[/i]

True. But his gunner laid down a swarm of 50 cal rounds on the enemy's tent. If any of that fire was accurate, its very likely that Kerry stumbled in on a shredded man incapable of living much longer, much less firing a weapon.

Does Kerry insist the man was armed? Can he coorborate with a witness, or are we supposed to just take his word that he didn't murder a helpless potential POW?