Kerry's Vietnam service deserves a look

Dallas Morning News ^ | 2-24-2004 | Danny Lee

[sonofatpatcher2]

Kerry's Vietnam service deserves a look

The Democrats have been making much hay over President Bush's time in the National Guard. However, John Kerry's Vietnam service has been taken for granted.

In only four months in Vietnam, Mr. Kerry won a Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. That is some record. Better than Audie Murphy, Sgt. York or even Hollywood's Rambo. Yet something here does not compute.

In action, any combat vet will say there are few minor wounds. Yet Mr. Kerry took three of them in 16 weeks and had little down time. Upon the third award, he used them to earn a trip home eight months before his tour ended. This is closely followed by his early out from the Navy to run for Congress.

Mr. Kerry, in winning his Silver Star, is said to have come under fire from a Viet Cong rocket-propelled grenade and his Swift Boat crew wounded the VC gunner with .50-cal. machine-gun fire. Mr. Kerry then beached his boat, chased down the wounded enemy and returned victorious with the VC's rocket-propelled grenade. Again, any Swift Boat combat vet would say if, under fire from RPGs, you get out of range and return fire. And any wound from a .50 caliber is generally very serious if not fatal.

John Kerry may be a real hero, but these things bother me. They are not explained while questions swirl and swirl over President Bush's Guard service. Where is the unbiased fair and balance of journalism in this?

Some checking may find Mr. Kerry's heroics are as true as the Democrats' boasting of Max Cleland's "battlefield" wounds. Mr. Cleland lost three limbs to a grenade accident, not enemy fire.

Danny Lee, Corsicana, Texas

[sonofatpatcher2]

Well, we are getting the questions about John eFing Kerry's Vietman service out there, slowl but sure...

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I had the idea that higher level medals had to be seen and
written up by someone else.

[sonofatpatcher2]

You would think the awarding of the Silver Star, our nations 3rd highest combat decoration, would have to be witnessed and nailed down pretty tight. However, remember LBJ got one in WW Duce...

I guess the rules are different for DemocRATS...

[SAMWolf]

[Callahan]

The Boston Globe quotes a the guy manning the .50 cal, Short, as saying there is "no doubt" that Kerry saved his boat and the life of his crew by killing the wounded VC. The facts of Kerry's purple hearts are less clear. I know Freepers, myself included, would love to get to the bottom of it, but I'm not sure going this route cuts with people who are neutral.

[squarebarb]

My husband got a purple heart for a .30 cal. machine gun bullet wound in the upper thigh (Mekong Delta). He said if it had been a .50 cal. it would have taken his leg off.

He also got a silver star for voluntarily joining an ARVN unit he had been with and, with them, standing off an NVA attack from a dry pond all night. He was shot trying to drag a wounded ARVN officer to safety --- purple heart and silver star for same incident. Somebody was there to record it when they were airlifted out the next morning. Although wounded, he remained there the entire night until they were rescued the next morning. He deserved it. Later won a Bronze star for valor, another action.

Kerry's thing seems a little different.

[Starve The Beast]

You know, this is starting to bother me... the closer you look at Kerry, the easier he looks to beat in November. Could it be that he's the DNC's straw man? The Democratic convention isn't until the end of July, and a lot can happen before then. Say Bush spends $80 million campaigning against Kerry between now and May 30'th, then the RATS announce Hillary as the party pick? We've wasted that much political and monetary capital on the wrong candidate, and Hil goes that long without facing tough questions...

You gotta admit, it's a nightmarishly realistic scenario.

[Smartass]

Since Kerry keeps boasting about his chest full of medal's and patriotism, has to leave him open to questions. Any time he's asked about "Hanoi Jane," the "Winter Solder," or denigrating the troops that were left battling in Vietnam, he squeals about attacking his patriotism. Well BULLS**T! In my opinion, he came out of the same womb as "Hanoi Jane," and will now try to lie his way into the White House. Giving AID AND COMFORT TO THE ENEMY HAS ONLY ONE MEANING!!!

[plain talk]

Well, these accusations are serious and sound deserving of a full investigation. Did Kerry play games with the 3 purple hearts rule and you're out? Sounds like his war record is now "controversial". Kerry needs to prove he's innocent - just like Bush had to.

[PISANO]

The only thing that bothers me is that, HE put himself in for this award as well as the others that he received. All are based on HIS write ups at debriefings at the end of a specific mission. He may well deserve EVERY ONE he has, but chasing a wounded and dying VC and administering the cus de gras is hardly worthy of our Nations 3rd highest award. IMHO

[ml/nj]

The Boston Globe quotes a the guy manning the .50 cal, Short, as saying there is "no doubt" that Kerry saved his boat and the life of his crew by killing the wounded VC.

John Kerry
is
the
kindest, bravest, warmist,
most wonderful,
human being
I have ever known
in my life.

ML/NJ

[Starve The Beast]

I'm not sure going this route cuts with people who are neutral.

That's an extremely important point. Questioning the circumstances of Kerry's Purple Hearts is perfectly valid. But if we're not careful, all we'll accomplish is to make ourselves look like wackos and Kerry look like a victim of a right-wing conspiracy.

Tread softly on this ground, people.

[billb]

I find it sad that Mr. Kerry's 120 days of brave service to our country while he was in Vietnam has made him unfit to hold the office of President. I believe his actions after returning from that service are the result of his feelings of guilt about that experience. His denunciation of the war after returning to the U.S. and his votes against modernizing the military throughout his time in public office are nothing more than self-flagellation. And his recent rant about having his patriotism challenged when it in fact was not to being shell shocked. For these reasons, I believe he can not be trusted to use the military properly in the defense of our country. And again I say it is sad that his weeks of service over there have now precluded him becoming President. He doesn't need a campaign contribution, he needs a analyst

[deport]

snopes.com on John Kerry's medals from Vietnam (lots of details)

[tuesday afternoon]

Bump.

[GreyFriar]

Last time I looked, the intentional killing of enemy wounded was a violation of the Geneva Convention. Thus Kerry is a war criminal and needs to be brought up on charges as such. Perhaps someone in Belgium or Europe will do that for us...since they like to nose into US business.

[atomicpossum]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Kerry IS Raymond Shaw?!

[atomicpossum]

Really? I think it's simple pandering and expedience. I don't think Kerry is about anything but Kerry.

[BlessedByLiberty]

Very interesting perspective. His wife Terry the Heiress said he has nightmares and flashbacks of Viet Nam. As the leftist like to say, this (Kerry) is not someone I want with his finger on the button.

[billb]

Thanks! Can I add that to mine for future posts?

I find it sad that Mr. Kerry's 120 days of brave service to our country while he was in Vietnam has made him unfit to hold the office of President. I believe his actions after returning from that service are the result of the trauma he encountered there and his feelings of guilt about that experience. His denunciation of the war after returning to the U.S. and his votes against modernizing the military throughout his time in public office are nothing more than self-flagellation. And his recent rant about having his patriotism challenged when it in fact was not, is akin to being shell shocked. Even his wife Terry has said he has nightmares and flashbacks of Viet Nam. For these reasons, I believe he cannot be trusted to use the military properly in the defense of our country. And again I say it is sad that his weeks of service over there have now precluded him becoming President. He doesn't need a campaign contribution, he needs a analyst.