No he didnt use them to get out- he was TOSSED OUT after only 3 months (not 4.5) by his commanding officers because they deemed him “UNFIT FOR COMMAND”
Which means he was such a dumbass they did not want to put him in charge of people, and if you look at some @nd Lt.’s thats an awful low bar!
They figured he would get his own men killed (or they would frag him)
I have Unfit for Command, and have done lots of research on Kerry's tour in Vietnam. In the Appendix of the book, they have a chronology of Kerry's naval career and his involvement in the VVAW.
On November 17, 1968, Kerry was ordered to and arrived at Coastal Squadron One, Coastal Division 14 in Cam Ranh Bay.
On March 17, 1969, at Kerry's own request, he departs An Thoi for the United States citing the three PH regulation. He was the only Swiftee in the history of Coastal Division 11 to do so.
As a former naval officer who served a year in Vietnam, July 1967 to July 1968, I have nothing but contempt for Kerry. He compiled a phony war record that was signed off on by uninformed superiors. He chronicled and wrote his own citations. When he signed on to Swift boats, he thought that it was going to be relatively safe off the coast of Vietnam. When the mission changed and the boats were sent into the rivers to assist the PBRs, the mission became much more dangerous. Kerry wanted out and his superiors were happy to oblige him. He initiated the request because he was scared sh#tless, not because he was TOSSED OUT.
After Kerry's third PH on March 13, it was Tom Wright, another PCF commander at An Thoi, that approached Kerry with several other swiftees, and let him know that it might be best for everyone that Kerry leave. Yes, they wanted him out, but Kerry wanted out. He was aware of the 3PH rule, which is why he manufactured the three he got. He served four months in-country.