Kerry campaign provides military records

AP | 4/20/04 | NEDRA PICKLER

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid questions about his military records, John Kerry's campaign on Tuesday provided documentation of Vietnam War injuries that included shrapnel wounds to his arms, legs and buttocks that earned him three Purple Hearts.

Kerry spokesman Michael Meehan said the campaign was in the process of compiling the rest of Kerry's naval record and planned to begin posting it on Kerry's Web site by day's end. Kerry said all his military records are available to the public during an appearance Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Meehan said the Massachusetts senator and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee requested a copy of his record from the Navy last month and received roughly 150 pages last week.

Conservatives, talk radio and some newspapers editorials have questioned whether Kerry was deserving of the three Purple Hearts, fueling questions about his Navy service from 1966 to 1970 and the seriousness of his injuries.

He served two tours of duty, four months on the USS Gridley frigate off Vietnam's shore and nearly five months as a swiftboat commander in the Mekong Delta. He volunteered for the second tour and earned all his medals during the second stint.

Meehan gave The Associated Press 13 pages that included documentation for the Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. The Boston Globe obtained some of the records last year for an extensive series on Kerry.

The documents also included declassified reports that briefly explain the injuries that led to Kerry's Purple Heart awards. They show Kerry had shrapnel wounds in his left thigh after his boat came under intense fire on Feb. 20, 1969, and he suffered shrapnel wounds in his left buttock and contusions on his right forearm when a mine detonated close to his boat on March 13, 1969.

The campaign could not locate a similar report for Kerry's original Purple Heart. As evidence that Kerry was wounded, Meehan showed The Associated Press a "Sick Call Treatment Record" from Kerry's personal files that included a brief written note dated Dec. 3, 1968, and stamped from the naval support facility at Cam Ranh Bay.

"Shrapnel in left arm above elbow. Shrapnel removed and appl bacitracin dressing. Ret to Duty," it said. The note is followed by a signature that appears to say "JCCarreon" and some illegible letters that Meehan said probably designate the medical official's rank.

Meehan said the campaign would allow a reporter to see the record at the campaign's headquarters, but not take a copy. He said it would not be made available to the public because Kerry considers it a private medical record.

Documentation for the second two injuries show that Kerry was deemed to be in good condition and returned to active duty after treatment. The documentation does not describe the severity of the injuries. A third Purple Heart meant Kerry could be reassigned out of Vietnam, and a document dated March 17, 1969, said Kerry requested duty as a personal aid in Boston, New York or the Washington, D.C., area.

Meehan said although Kerry could have asked to stay in Vietnam, it was the Navy's decision to request that he be reassigned. Kerry left the country in early April 1969.

Ken Mehlman, President Bush's campaign manager, accused Kerry's campaign of waffling on the release of his military records, saying the campaign's position on Tuesday to release the records in "due diligence" is contrary to Kerry's comments on "Meet the Press" that the records would be made public immediately.

"Senator Kerry's record of nondisclosure and his flip-flop on this issue should concern voters," Mehlman said.

Meehan responded, "Senator Kerry's record on the military is one we are running on, not running from. We are happy to compare Senator Kerry's record of service to anybody in the Bush campaign who has or has not served."

Bush was in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, but did not serve in combat. Bush released hundreds of pages of his Vietnam-era military records in February to counter Democrats' suggestions that he shirked his duty in the Texas Air National Guard.

The White House said the documents comprise his entire military record. The records did not provide evidence that Bush was in Alabama during a period when Democrats have questioned whether he reported for service.

Kerry on Friday questioned Republicans who avoided the war and now criticize him on national security, but he didn't mention Bush.

"I fought under that flag and I saw that flag draped over the coffins of friends," Kerry said. "I'm tired of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney and a bunch of people who went out of their way to avoid the chance to serve when they had the chance."

The Purple Heart is awarded to soldiers who are wounded or killed by enemy forces. The Silver Star is awarded for gallantry in action, and the Bronze Star is for heroic achievement.

Kerry received the Bronze Star for his actions after being wounded by the mine, which led to the third Purple Heart. According to his citation, one of Kerry's boatmates was thrown overboard and Kerry pulled him to safety with "his arm bleeding and in pain and with disregard for his personal safety." Kerry and the man, retired Los Angeles police officer Jim Rassmann, had an emotional public reunion in January, two days before Kerry would win the Iowa caucuses.

___

On the Net:

http://www.johnkerry.com

Facsimiles of Kerry's Purple Heart citations are available at:

http://wid.ap.org/documents/kerry/purplehearts.pdf

Facsimiles of Kerry's bronze and silver star citations are available at:

http://wid.ap.org/documents/kerry/stars.pdf

Facsimiles of reports describing Kerry's wounds are available at:

http://wid.ap.org/documents/kerry/actionreports.pdf

[MeekOneGOP]

Meehan responded, "Senator Kerry's record on the military is one we are running on, not running from. We are happy to compare Senator Kerry's record of service to anybody in the Bush campaign who has or has not served."

Bush was in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, but did not serve in combat. Bush released hundreds of pages of his Vietnam-era military records in February to counter Democrats' suggestions that he shirked his duty in the Texas Air National Guard.

Heck, I'd like to compare POST-Military service records !

Kerry 02-03-2004:
"For the second time this week a New England Patriot Won!"

Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry
(Click here or on the pic)

John Kerry's History Page
(Click here)

Hanoi Jane: Yesterday's Fiery Communist Revolutionary
She's today's very rich capitalist
(See post #157)

____________________________________________________

What Dubya has accomplished in his first 34 months in office
(see post #43)

[MeekOneGOP]

Whoops ! I intended to include THIS as part of that post also ...

[stocksthatgoup]

PLEASE don't let John Kerry get away with MORE lies!!!
Demand that he release ALL OF HIS RECORDS like they demanded of President Bush, including DENTAL RECORDS!

http://johnkerry.com/contact/contact.php

ditto

[MeekOneGOP]

ROFL !! Good one, FL_engineer !

[SkyPilot]

"I don’t care! The citation says Shell Fragments in Eye, and it did happen in a combat zone!"

[MeekOneGOP]

hahaha !!

All the medical treatment in the world won't help Jean Keri November 2nd !!

[SkyPilot]

"And I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE to run out of mercurochrome Mr. President! I bet we see an October surprise of manipulating mercurochrome prices!!

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL !! Those are great !

[devolve]

           

[Condor51]

Sounds like your brother has/had what was called "Jungle Rot".
(I'll bet he was in the infantry.)

[Peach]

Howlin - I hope you can copy and paste that comment about Kerry killing so many civilians to every Kerry thread.

[OXENinFLA]

http://forum.johnkerry.com/index.php?showtopic=23420


Get a bucket ready.

[Arrowhead1952]

I find it very interesting that f'ing kerry got three purple hearts, yet there are only two Casualty Reports. Something smell like a dead rat with these injuries. Check the link to the .pdf files for descriptions of injuries.

[smith288]

This 'ragging on' the record of JK only most legitimate any questions of GWB's service. Why can't you see the logic in that.

Why can't I see it your way where one man who doesn't run on his military experience gets dogged by it yet another runs entirely on his military experience but cannot be questioned??? You, sir, make absolutely no sense. Why cant you see that?

[daybreakcoming]

You really have to admire Kerry for keeping a straight face while being "pinned" when you know snickers and guffaws must have been choking him at putting one over on the "establishment". Makes my skin crawl

[maica]

John O'Neill is on CSPAN now, maybe this has been posted, but I don't have time to check.

He is following a Kerry spokesman, who dodged every question about Kerry's tours in Vietnam.

[familyofman]

"You, sir, make absolutely no sense. Why cant you see that?"

After one has been 'blinded by the light, wrapped up like a d... (never could figure out this lyric) in the middle of the night' - seeing is very difficult, if not impossible. Or, maybe, just maybe I'm too darn lazy and old & crotchety to change my wicked ways.

[SAMWolf]

Good One Phil!

[russesjunjee]

Scary Kerry is the biggest liberal lunatic to float down the pike in a long time....

If he gets elected president you all can kiss the good old US of A good by.

The UN is set to pull off a huge power grab against the US right now, and Kerry has as much as said that he will hand the UN (American hating scum) the keys to Washington....

Kerry will flush what's left of our national sovereignty down the toilet!

[blackie]

John F'n Kerry is a lying traitor ~ Bump!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~