SWIFT BOAT PROXIMITY PHOTOS (standard patrols)

SBVforT ^ | 8/23/2204 | A Navy Vet

[A Navy Vet]

I am sick of hearing about the mainstream media's attempt to discredit the SBVforT on the erroneous grounds that the Swifties didn't "serve" with Kerry. Here are photos and commentary from a Swifty as to the proximity of the boats on patrol, as well as, their intimate living conditions. As anyone can see, the perspective from some personnel on other boats actually has a broader view of another boat and the surrounding environment.

[Pilsner]

There is photo of Kerry just after the medal toss, huddled on the ground with his first wife, sobbing from the emotion of throwinjg away his medals. The photo was used at the time to show Kerry in a favorable light and to dramatize his "sacrifice." If the MSM were not such a bunch of leftish whores they would show it and ask Kerry why he was so torn up over throwing away a bunch of ten cent ribbons when (as he now claims) his medals were safe at home.

[Interesting Times]

There is photo of Kerry just after the medal toss, huddled on the ground with his first wife, sobbing from the emotion of throwinjg away his medals.

Any idea where I might find that?

[Pilsner]

I's sure I saw it on FR. Perhaps someone will remember the thread and make a link.

[Fedora]

Thanks!

[philman_36]

Got it. Now if only there were pictures of him after Friday morning with his ribbons on.

[rwfromkansas]

good post.

[Fedora]

I'm reading the VVAW's FBI files right now and here's something interesting from an April 5, 1971 memo in pdf file #2:

"The March 26, 1971 issue of 'The Evening Star' contained an article relating to the VVAW April demonstration. . .The article described John Kerry as a Vietnam veteran who, in five months as a Navy lieutenant, won the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts all of which he intends to hand back to Congress on April 23."

So I guess at one time he was planning to return his medals to Congress rather than throw them, which implies he *was* planning to take them with him. Now that I'm talking about that, I seem to remember the medals plan changed over time. When did they decide to throw them is a question which might be relevant to whether or not Kerry had them with him--if it was a last-minute idea and he was planning to return his own prior to that, it stands to reason he would've had them with him.

BTW, on the "theatrics" thing we were discussing, the Dewey Canyon III demo is described as "guerrilla theater".

[Fedora]

A 4/16 FBI memo reports that according to a leaflet the VVAW distributed in New York on 4/15 announcing the impending Dewey Canyon rally:

"Also medals and awards will be returned in a formal ceremony to the Congress in KIA body bags."

If that was the plan, why would Kerry arrive without his medals?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

YES!

[philman_36]

BTW, on the "theatrics" thing we were discussing, the Dewey Canyon III demo is described as "guerrilla theater".
I saw that. I read the book online last night and listened to one of the sound clips.

If that was the plan, why would Kerry arrive without his medals?
Egads, we've been had by "The Manipulator".

[George Smiley]

Unfit for Command pp 47-48

"During Christmas 1968, Kerry was stationed at Coastal Division 13 in Cat Lo. Coastal Division 13's patrol areas extended to Sa Dec, about fifty-five miles from the Cambodian border. Areas closer than fifty-five miles to the Cambodian border in the area of the Mekong Delta were patrolled by PBRs, a small river patrol craft, and not by Swift Boats. Preventing border crossings was considered so important at the time that an LCU (a large, mechanized landing craft) and several PBRs were stationed to ensure that no one could cross the border. A large sign at the border prohibited entry.

[j_tull]

(Viet Nam Vet, USN Coastal Div. 13, Cat Lo, XO USCG patrol boat, 1968: No atrocities on my watch!)

God Bless you, and thank you for your service.

[A Navy Vet]

"He said that when he prepared to throw his ribbons over the fence, he reached into his jacket and pulled out the medals from those two veterans. He said his own medals remained in safekeeping. But how could they be in safekeeping if he was wearing them the day before?"

Which, btw, every photo I've seen of Kerry protesting he was in fatigues wearing ribbons, as were his comrades. That was against uniform regulations and probably still is. Minor point, but it shows the hypocracy of him and his ilk at the time, not to mention he was still a Navy Reservist.

If they hated their medals so much, why did they wear them to their anti-America protests? They could have made their point simply my wearing the uniforms.

So now he proudly wears them on his sleeve for his political aspirations. Geeze, I despise that man and his followers.

Kerry position: I was a hero before I was a war criminal before I was a hero.

[A Navy Vet]

"But how could they be in safekeeping if he was wearing them the day before?"

Forgot to include the the answer to you point above. His "medals" for formal uniforms may have been in safekeeping. He was wearing the informal equivalent "ribbons" on his fatigues. But even then, ribbons were not to be worn with brown water fatigues or blue water Navy dungerees. Ribbons were to be worn with what I recall as Working Dress uniform. I may have that wrong.

[Fedora]

Which, btw, every photo I've seen of Kerry protesting he was in fatigues wearing ribbons, as were his comrades. That was against uniform regulations and probably still is.

Do you know if at that time fatigues were considered uniform under this regulation?

Department of Defense Directive: SUBJECT: Wearing of the Uniform

3.1. The wearing of the uniform by members of the Armed Forces (including retired members and members of Reserve components) is prohibited under any of the following circumstances:

3.1.1. At any meeting or demonstration that is a function of, or sponsored by an organization, association, movement, group, or combination of persons that the Attorney General of the United States has designated, under E.O. 10450 as amended (reference (b)), as totalitarian, fascist, communist, or subversive, or as having adopted a policy of advocating or approving the commission of acts of force or violence to deny others their rights under The Constitution of the United States, or as seeking to alter the form of Government of the United States by unconstitutional means.

If so I believe there may be a case that Kerry was in violation of the above, because in the FBI's files the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), which was the main organizer of one of the key groups that helped the VVAW organize Dewey Canyon III, the NPAC (National Peace Action Coalition), was designated under the aforementioned Executive Order 10450, as were several other groups linked to the VVAW.

[Fedora]

Did you catch the replay of Kerry's 1971 testimony on C-SPAN earlier? I'd be interested to hear your take on what he's wearing there.

[Salvation]

**In addition, when the boats returned from a mission, everyone lived and ate and bunked on/in the same living quarters: a berthing ship, LST or small base. Swift Boat divisions were very small. Everybody knew all of the other people intimately and well. Whether they got along with them or not. The Swift Boat sailors that “served with John Kerry” definitely had as much or more contact with him as any of his assigned crewmen.**

Indicting language!

[A Navy Vet]

Thank you.

[A Navy Vet]

"Do you know if at that time fatigues were considered uniform under this regulation?"

Yes, and while still being a Naval Reservist, he was breaking two uniform regulations: 1. wearing fatigues to a formal Congressional hearing; 2. wearing ribbons on the fatigues, which he hated so much...and not before...and not now.

[Fedora]

Thanks!