Posted on 08/11/2004 6:52:45 AM PDT by 7thson
I have read a lot on FR concerning Kerry and the Swift Boats, and have listen and seen a lot of it on the tube and listened to the story on the radio. I believe the Swift Boat vets. However, here is my question. Since Kerry was in the Navy - and all navy personnel on FR know this - then he was required to keep a log on the boat. All the boats kept logs. All the logs are saved. Why doesn't someone go back and check the log records of Kerry's boat and the other boats? Has this been asked or done?
The Swift Boaters have been asking Kerry to sign form 180 and release all his military records, which Kerry has refused. I doubt if the records you are talking about would be covered by that though.
good question
These are navy logs. All ships, boats, watches have them. They are saved somewhere for a number of years. Find them and find out what the other commanders wrote during these times.
In reality it would be a miricle if those records were locatable.
The logs are kept at the miltary records archive in St. Louis Mo. Unfourtnely for us there was a fire several years ago when they were expanding the facilty underground. a lot of records were damaged or destroyed on during this event.
There you go asking for facts when feelings are so much more important.
Hannity had these guys on his radio show for the last couple of days. Kerry has acess to the boat log and to his fitness reports but only he can access them, since it is his record. He choses not to do so. The rest of these vets have opened all they have to write their book..and in my book are truthful because Kerry slandered them and hundreds of others when he came home and blabbed untruths according to him.
The logs would contain some information but probably not enough specifics, to counter any spinning, in most cases.
There was a thread posted here yesterday which asked for help in locating a "Spot Report" .pdf file from Kerry's military records dated January 1969. Evidently, it was released and now, has been pulled because it contained some evidence that a bright bulb in Kerry's campaign realized would directly contradict what his claims are, regarding his military service.
Kerry may have access to his own military records and controls the permission to release them. However, fitreps and evals go up the chain and are part of the navy record. He does not have control of logs, which are part of the navy archives. He cannot control the log of his own boat much less the logs of the other boats. Find these logs and records. A reporter with a desire for truth would find this information but then again, I just stopped myself there, didn't I?
U.S. Navy Deck Logs are part of Record Group 24, Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, are held in the National Archives at College Park [Maryland]'s Modern Military Branch. They are open to the public. I'm not sure of the date range of the logs held at College Park, though, so a google search should be able to yield an archivist's name and/or phone number.
Interesting. Then I guess it's up to Kerry to stand up and speak for himself by releasing his military records. (Note to self: do not hold breath.)
Log book is not Kerry's record it is a record of the boat he commanded...It does not need this release...someone could do a FOIA request to get any logbooks.
I have a question too. If the Swift Boat Vets keep getting told they can not "testify" about Kerry beause they were not on the same boat, then how can Kerry testify about others supposed war crimes if theyb were not on his boat? If they were on his boat and committed war crimes then he was their commanding officer and he should be held accountable. They can't have it both ways!
On the same show, Lawrence O'Donnel of MSNBC asked one of the Viet Vet Against Kerry about his one time spat with Sen McCain...does anyone know anything about that?
see post 17, I agree.
A Google search on "Washington Navy Yard" and deck logs turns up this info for the location where current deck logs are stored:
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER 805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.