KERRY BACKTRACKS ON PURPLE HEART

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ^ | August 24, 2004 | Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

[Nick Danger]

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

KERRY CAMPAIGN BACKTRACKS ON FIRST PURPLE HEART AWARD

Campaign Says May Have Been Self-Inflicted

Washington—In a reversal of their staunch defense of John Kerry's military service record, Kerry campaign officials were quoted by Fox News saying that it was indeed possible that John Kerry's first Purple Heart commendation was the result of an, unintentional, self-inflicted wound."

"GARRETT: And questions keep coming. For example, Kerry received a Purple Heart for wounds suffered on December 2, 1968. But in Kerry's own journal written nine days later, he writes he and his crew, quote, "hadn't been shot at yet," unquote. Kerry's campaign has said it is possible this first Purple Heart was awarded for an unintentional self-inflicted wound -- Brit." (Special Report with Brit Hume Aug.23, 2004)

A recent television ad from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth featured Doctor Lewis Letson who treated Kerry for his minor injury and Grant Hibbard who served as John Kerry's direct commander on the mission where he claimed his medal. Both men say Kerry did not deserve the medal given the fact that Kerry received a very minor wound requiring no more than band-aid treatment and because the wound was not a direct result of hostile fire, a requirement for a Purple Heart commendation.

"When Grant Hibbard and Doctor Letson appeared in our ad, they were attacked and vilified by the Kerry campaign but now we see news reports saying the Kerry campaign is now sheepishly acknowledging that what we said was true," said Admiral Hoffmann, founder of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. "John Kerry's own journal reinforces the fact that neither Kerry nor his crew had seen hostile enemy action. John Kerry's first Purple Heart medal is based on fiction."

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is calling on the Kerry campaign to apologize to Grant Hibbard and Doctor Letson as the men did nothing more than come forward to speak the truth about the situation involving John Kerry's first Purple Heart medal.

This is not the only incident in which Kerry campaign officials have changed their story concerning Kerry's prestigious war medals. The incident on the Bay Hap River in which Kerry received his third Purple Heart and Bronze Star has also been the subject of considerable waffling by Kerry officials. 

During the Democratic National Convention, Kerry used the Bay Hap River incident to suggest that he alone returned to rescue Jim Rassmann—a Special Forces solider—who was on Kerry's boat and was tossed into the river.  Kerry described this incident to the American people as "No man left behind."

However Kerry officials were forced to acknowledge that Kerry's boat actually left the scene when another swift boat—operating on the other side of the river—was damaged by an underwater mine.  Kerry officials now admit that Kerry's boat returned after several minutes to pull Rassmann from the water while three other swift boats remained on site to render assistance to the injured crew of the one damaged boat.  Campaign officials once claimed that Kerry returned to the scene under withering hostile fire to rescue Rassmann after all the other swift boats left.  But other accounts from eyewitnesses of that day confirm that the other boats stayed on site and that Kerry returned to the scene, facing no enemy fire, only seconds before another swift boat was preparing to retrieve Mr. Rassmann from the water.

"John Kerry's stories are falling apart," added Hoffmann. His statements don't even match up with his own journal entries.  We are going to continue telling the truth about John Kerry's military service record so that the American people can make their own decisions about John Kerry's qualifications to be the next Commander in Chief."

Direct media inquiries to media@swiftvets.com

[MeekOneGOP]

Ya Meek, that photo says a 1,000 words. Guess folks who couldn't picture
that scenario in their mind's eye should see something like this.

Exactly! I hope a LOT OF EYES get to see that pic.

[Licensed-To-Carry]

Now a doctor is saying Kerry has shrapnel in his leg because (hero that he is) he refused to be operated on!!

I won't believe this unless there is a current X-ray on kerry's leg. There ain't no shrapnel in kerry's leg.

[ken21]

ut oh!

[NYTexan]

I just heard today that his call sign in the Navy (that he selected himself) was 'Boston Strangler'.

[laurenmarlowe]

Thanks for the ping Tonk.

[Libloather]

Surprisingly, ABC-TV report said Kerry can't walk away from the SBV charges...

And I heard the NY Times is pissed that he hasn't gone back to his war protest position - the one he had in the 70's.

I'm learning more about the Vietnam war than I EVER have - and my book hasn't even arrived yet!

[BykrBayb]

You're doing fine, kerry. Keep digging!

[Cboldt]

My husband has a theory... he seems to think that the Dems know Kerry will never win, so let him lose... thus paving the way for Hillary in 08.. any thoughts?

Not a bad theory, but it doesn't go far enough to explain what is going on. Kerry losing, no biggie. But unmasking teh media, showing that it HELPED Kerry perpetrate a con of this magnitude, will take quite a bit of power away from the media, and thereby damage the DEM party that it supports.

Kerry's done gone and kicked a hornet's nest, and hasn't felt the first sting yet.

[BIGLOOK]

OK, but what was his tag among his shipmates?

[RottiBiz]

I keep wondering why Admiral Schachte hasn't come forward to confirm the incident.

He isn't a member of the Swift Vets and maybe because he is still on active duty.

I keep hoping he is the Swiftees "ace in the hole."

[JLO]

"I don't think the lamestream reporters have even read this stuff"
===

No kidding! Folks around here are WAY ahead of most media.

This has been discussed in-depth since May when the Swift Boat Veterans first appeared on CSPAN-2. Most 'journalists' claim this has just been newsworthy for about 3 weeks. LOL!

[itsahoot]

I am outraged, and am tired of emailing all the networks, doesn't seem to make a dent.

Just shout at your TV, it accomplishes the same thing, and lets you ventilate.

There was a discussion here a while back on "Truth" and it generated some heated discussion. Well in spite of all that unless the press makes an issue of something, the truth matters not one whit. The election outcome will be determined by people who get there information from the Alphabetical networks.

We are at war, and until we, and I include President Bush in that "we," act like it, then we are doomed to go down the same stupid path we did in Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, Haiti.........

War is hell, and there can be no King's X zones. I remember Victory Gardens, green ration stamps, Oleo that looked like lard and no one I new complained that Bubble Gum was rationed, because we knew we were at war.

[Darksheare]

Interesting.

[agincourt1415]

Actually, Kerry should request the change to his DD 214, as a correction.

[Darksheare]

I made a dent!
umm...
in my TV..
/ joke

Honestly, you're right.
The press likes to play games and smugly refer to themselves not as reporters of the news but as 'shapers of opinion'.

[agincourt1415]

The Secretary of each military department, acting through a Board of Correction of Military Records, has the authority to amend any military record as necessary to correct an error or remove an injustice.

http://www.military.com/Resources/ResourceFileView?file=Records_Correcting.htm

[Libertina]

LOL Pretty indefensible, isn't it?

[demkicker]

Here's some good news. Was just watching Fox News and our President just aired a fantastic commercial! It was brilliant. Shows John Kerry saying, (not exact words, but close) When I become President, I'll strengthen the intelligence we need to prevent terrorism. Then there's a voice-over that sarcastically says, "Oh really?"

Then it shows in print with voice-over that before 9/11 John Kerry missed 78% of intelligence committee votes. The zinger comes when it says, After September 11th, John Kerry has missed ALL of the votes. There's the promises John Kerry makes and there's his record of what he does. Again, this is not word for word, but close!

I will croak if this scumbag becomes our President. Spread the word so that it can't happen, please!

[SandRat]

add that to the Chairman of FEC calling Kerry's charges/complaint to them "Absurd!"

[Paulus Invictus]

If he came home early based on a lie, he should be sent back now to finish his tour. He could be ordered to clean and re-paint the Hanoi Hilton. Then he should stay in Hanoi as a honey dipper for five years. He's been ladling out the stuff for years so it's not a big change for him. (Only a former Far East vet like me knows what a honey dipper does).