Posted on 09/11/2004 8:51:11 PM PDT by kaehurowing
Guard commander's son thinks memos are bogus
By Jack Douglas Jr.
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
The son of a late Texas Air National Guard commander said Saturday he's convinced that none of the 1970s memos attributed to his father that criticized George W. Bush, then a lieutenant in the Guard, are authentic.
Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, who died in 1984, almost always had someone else type his correspondence, and then had that person initial the work, said Gary Killian of Houston, who served in the Guard with his father. His father was a terrible typist and would never have been able to neatly type the memos himself, Gary Killian said.
No such initials are found on four dated memos, allegedly written by Jerry Killian in 1972 and 1973, that have now ignited a powder keg of controversy over whether they are authentic - or fakes meant to torpedo Bush's image as he seeks a second term as president against Democrat John Kerry.
"I don't think any of these memos are authentic," Gary Killian, 51, said in an interview with the Star-Telegram.
"He couldn't type to begin with. He would have rather given blood than type, probably," said Killian, now retired from the Guard and the owner of an air-purification business.
Killian, who initially was quoted as saying he thought at least portions of the memos may be legitimate, now lists other reasons for why he feels certain they were never produced by his father.
One memo, dated August 1973 and entitled "SUBJECT: CYA," refers to a Col. Walter Staudt as "pushing to sugar coat" Bush's military deficiencies. But Gary Killian said Staudt was "retired when that supposed CYA thing was written. I know that he was gone by then."
Now 81 and living in New Braunfels, Staudt on Saturday told The Associated Press, "I don't give interviews."
Jerry Killian, who died of heart failure just two weeks after passing a "flight physical" so he could keep flying in the Guard, would have done more than simply write memos if he had sensed a cover-up, his son said.
"He really wasn't a political animal. If there had been political pressure, there would have been a blowup immediately. He would have never written anything like that [`sugar coat' memo]," Gary Killian said.
Killian also said none of the memos conformed to the style required by the Texas Air National Guard.
Some document experts say the memos appear to be computer-generated, rather than produced by an older-style typewriter from the early 1970s.
During the few times the two of them discussed the subject, Killian said his father generally spoke favorably of Bush -- unlike the tone of the memos that suggested Bush was shirking his military duties.
"We spoke about him only in terms that he was a pretty good pilot and that, on a couple of occasions, he tried to volunteer for operation `Palace Alert,' " Killian said. "Palace Alert" was a program that dispatched Guard members in Texas to the Vietnam War.
The memos were first disclosed by CBS News, which continued to stand by the legitimacy of the documents.
CBS, on its news Web site on Saturday, said: "The network is adamantly defending the authenticity of the memos. ..."
Gary Killian said that he was interviewed last week by a Dallas-based producer for CBS and that he tried to pass on the name of another person who knew Bush well when both were in the Guard. He said the producer told him the network had already talked to the individual.
"She told me point-blank, `We don't want to use his commentary because we think he's too pro-Bush,' " Killian said.
He said he supports Bush, too, but that "I'm not a blind Bush supporter," noting that he disagrees with some of the president's - and the GOP's - policies.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Douglas Jr., (817) 390-7700 jld@star-telegram.com
During the few times the two of them discussed the subject, Killian said his father generally spoke favorably of Bush -- unlike the tone of the memos that suggested Bush was shirking his military duties.
"We spoke about him only in terms that he was a pretty good pilot and that, on a couple of occasions, he tried to volunteer for operation `Palace Alert,' " Killian said. "Palace Alert" was a program that dispatched Guard members in Texas to the Vietnam War.
I'll bet I can gin up a memo to that effect and send it to Dan. I am sure he will block out an hour on "60 Minutes of Lies" to report it.
Those of us are informed know the docs were forged and that Dubya did volunteer for Viet Nam. But, nothing will come of this. BTW, what ever happend to the Sandy Berger scandal? (Get my point.)
Well, he's going to have to.
Captain Dan the News Man could not be reached for comment.
I agree, an interview would be a darned good idea!!!!
And poorly computer-generated! That limb old Danny boy is on is getting sawed right off!
Pray for W and Our Troops
Don't forget the CBS staffer says that a TON of Corruption was going on in that NG office and that Staudt was "the bulying kind".....that should make him want to open a big can of "Whopp-Ass" on See-BS.
Bump!
Some 81 year olds are losing it in the memory department. If this is the case with Staudt, he should not give an interview.
I'm with you. It's time for this man to speak up already. It's the honorable thing to do; after all, people are being defamed here.
Try this link: http://www.shotinthedark.info/archives/003799.html
Now 81 and living in New Braunfels, Staudt on Saturday told The Associated Press, "I don't give interviews."
Well, he's going to have to.
Be careful what you wish for.
I'd almost say he wanted Bush to stay in his unit very badly and that he was kinda angry that he didn't have the power.
Of course, I also think that they are phoney, because even if you're covering your a**, pointing your finger to someone upstairs isn't going to help you.
The bottom line is that Bush wanted to fulfill his duty (It says so in black and white) and help his Dad AND he inquired "what do I have to do" to make it happen. What's wrong with that?
I'd be damn pleased to have Bush for a son. He's persevered in everything he's done and he's turned out to be extraordinary, way beyond my wildest dreams. He could have had it easy.
KerrycRAT'S crimminal attempt at taking over this country is crumbling like a counterfiet Twinkie.
>>Now 81 and living in New Braunfels, Staudt on Saturday told The Associated Press, "I don't give interviews."
Well, he's going to have to.
Be careful what you wish for.<<
He's 81, and earned the right to not speak to the lying press. He's probably seen a bunch of folks lied about, abused and misused, and may not want to add to the hype. It also shows he is and was not a bully. A bully would jump at the chance.
DK
Now 81 and living in New Braunfels, Staudt on Saturday told The Associated Press, "I don't give interviews."
There is something extraordinarily suspicious about this. He can't speak for five minutes about a major national story that tarnishes his reputation?
For a bit of speculation, is it possible someone got to this guy and provided him with the documents and he agreed to be a background source for CBS? It could be why, despite all the evidence, CBS is sticking to their story.
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