I woke up in the middle of the night just totally pissed about this. Does John Kerry have the sole right to be labelled a war hero just because he went into public office? What about these men? They performed the same duties as JFK but aren't trumpeting it around on their shoulder saying, "look at me, I'm a war hero!" This is total BS and the elites in the media should be ashamed. These vets are getting the same treatment they received upon returning home. It is so disgustingly shameful that all these media goons are gushing over Kerry and his war heroism and then when these men come forward they are called Republican shills. Talk about a double standard. THE MEDIA MAKES ME SICK!
18. What else can I do to help?
E-mail this information and the quotes from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth from the initial press conference to as many people as you can. Ask them to e-mail it to their friends. With few exceptions, the mainstream media is trying to ignore our story. We need the help of every American to prompt Senator Kerry to disclose what he did and did not do in Vietnam, and the importance of all this to our country.
If Senator Kerry’s claims about his military service are true, then he has no reason to further delay fully disclosing his records since the missing documents will support those claims.
But in fact his claims are not true. We were there. We saw what did and did not happen, and we intend to set the record straight.
from:
http://www.swiftvets.com/index.php?topic=FAQ
Point everyone to:
http://www.swiftvets.com
Original press release:
SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH FORMS ORGANIZATION
Goals are to restore honor of Vietnam vets; Rebut John Kerry’s unanswered lies; Bring the truth about Kerry’s service to the public
(May 4-Washington, D.C.) Today, a group of Swift Boat veterans from the unit in which Senator John Kerry served announced the formation of an organization, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The organization has been formed in order to bring the truth about Kerry to the American people. The organization intends to discuss Kerry’s war crimes charges, Kerry’s record and to request that Kerry authorize the Department of Defense to release the originals and the complete files relating to his military service and medical military records.
The group released a historic letter expressing the overwhelming opposition of those who served with Kerry or in his unit to his misrepresentation of his record and the unit’s record. The letter is signed by Swift Boat veterans at all levels and from the entire political spectrum; the entire chain of command during the period Kerry served in Vietnam; veterans who participated in the engagements resulting in his medals; and the majority of officers who served with him in Coastal Division 11, the unit in which he spent most of his four month tour of duty. Public circulation of the letter began one week ago and collected hundreds of signatures. The signers already make up a majority of the Swift Vets whose addresses can be found. The complete record of signers and comments will be posted on Swiftvets.com.
Rear Admiral Roy Hoffmann, USN (retired), Commander of Coastal Surveillance Force Vietnam (Commander Task Force 115) and chair of the group said, “I signed this letter because I do not believe John Kerry is fit to be the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States. This is not a political issue. It is a matter of his judgment, truthfulness, reliability, loyalty and trust - all absolute tenets of command.”
“We don’t understand why Kerry would make the centerpiece of his campaign an exaggerated account of his four month service in Vietnam 33 years ago, but since he is, we believe the American public is entitled to the truth about his service and about his charges about war crimes and atrocities,” explained John O’Neill, a Swift Boat veteran who took charge of Kerry’s boat a few months after Kerry’s departure and who debated Kerry in 1971.
The Swift Boat Vets for Truth include the entire chain of command above Kerry: Lt. Commander Grant Hibbard, Lt. Commander Elliott, Captain Charles Plumly, Captain Adrian Lonsdale USCG (retired) and Rear Admiral Hoffmann (retired), as well as enlisted men, officers, men who served with Mr. Kerry, men who served in the same group of Swift boats and men intimately familiar with the operations and conduct of Swift boat operations during the war. The group also includes James Zumwalt, Lt. Colonel, U.S.M.C. (retired), representing his father, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, and brother, Lt. Elmo Zumwalt III, both deceased.
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is a Special Purpose Political Action Committee.
Chairman, Rear Admiral Roy Hoffmann (retired)
Treasurer, Weymouth “Wey” Symmes
PO Box 26184
Alexandria, VA 22313
http://SwiftVets.com