Rasmann Got a Purple Heart on Same Day as Kerry?

The Kerry Spot ^ | 8/26/2004 | Jim Geraghty

[x1stcav]

Kerry Spot [ jim geraghty reporting ]

RASSMANN GOT A PURPLE HEART, TOO? ON THE SAME DAY? [08/26 01:52 PM]

Has it been reported elsewhere that Jim Rassmann, the man John Kerry fished out of the river, was awarded a Purple Heart “for wounds received in connection with military operations against a hostile force” on the day he was rescued by John Kerry?

Have any of the accounts of that day listed an injury on the part of Rassmann? The descriptions, including Rassmann‘s own, don‘t mention this injury. The Kerry Spot is not charging Rassmann with not being injured; but it seems like an important point that’s been ignored by previous accounts.

If Rassmann were injured while he’s bobbing in the water after falling off PCF-94, that makes the story of his rescue even more dramatic. If his Purple Heart was awarded for being shot, that would appear to strengthen the argument that the boats were under fire. And yet neither the Globe’s account, nor “Unfit for Command,” appear to mention an injury to Rassmann, and I haven’t seen any reference to this in “Tour of Duty.”

The next question is who put in the paperwork for Rassmann’s Purple Heart medal.

Lt. JG John Kerry?

Would it weaken the case that Kerry earned his medals in that March 13, 1969 incident if the man recommending him for those medals was being recommended for medals of his own by Kerry?

Now, we shouldn’t read too much into this. The recommendation for Rassmann’s purple heart could have come from some other sailor or soldier out there. Even if it came from Kerry, this does not definitively prove that either one of them is lying, or shading the truth in any way.

But it does seem odd that this medal has been left out of all of the accounts so far.

(Thanks to Kerry Spot reader Lars for noticing this.)

[OldFriend]

It's becoming more and more clear why the records are not about to be released.

Wonder if we can pressure Rassmann to release his records? Ought to be interesting to see his response.

[OldFriend]

Rassmann and the man on the far left in your picture are not wearing their dog tags.

Something wrong, very wrong with this picture.

[Dante3]

Interesting point.

[OldFriend]

The media was part of the 'surprise' meeting of Rassmann and kerry in Iowa.

Kerry acknowledged calling Rassmann prior to the primary and with the help of the media staged the so called reunion.

It is clear now that Kerry has continued to call fellow swifties around the country looking for support.

[Cboldt]

Was there any small arms battle damage to the boats?

ZERO bullet holes attributed to action during this incident.

[Cboldt]

The media was part of the 'surprise' meeting of Rassmann and kerry in Iowa.

Yes. The media and the Kerry campaign are part of the same apparatus. I enjoy the version of facts expressed at that point in time ...

On March 13, 1969, Rassmann, a Green Beret, was traveling down the Bay Hap river in a boat behind Kerry's when both were ambushed by exploding land mines and enemy fire coming from the shore. Kerry was hit in the arm, while a mine blew Rassmann's boat out of the water. With enemy fire coming from both sides of the river and swift boats evacuating from the area, Kerry's crew chose to turn their boat toward the ambush to save Rassmann.

"We were still under fire, and he was wounded at the time...," recalled Rassmann. And with his boat's gunners providing suppressing fire, Kerry extended his wounded arm into the water and the two lieutenants locked arms.

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0117d.html <-- Kerry's 2004 version

And then we have Rassmann's version ...

While returning from a SEA LORDS operation along the Bay Hap River, a mine detonated under another swift boat. Machine-gun fire erupted from both banks of the river, and a second explosion followed moments later. The second blast blew me off John's swift boat, PCF-94, throwing me into the river. Fearing that the other boats would run me over, I swam to the bottom of the river and stayed there as long as I could hold my breath.

When I surfaced, all the swift boats had left, and I was alone taking fire from both banks. To avoid the incoming fire, I repeatedly swam under water as long as I could hold my breath, attempting to make it to the north bank of the river. I thought I would die right there. The odds were against me avoiding the incoming fire and, even if I made it out of the river, I thought I'd be captured and executed. Kerry must have seen me in the water and directed his driver, Del Sandusky, to turn the boat around. Kerry's boat ran up to me in the water, bow on, and I was able to climb up a cargo net to the lip of the deck. But, because I was nearly upside down, I couldn't make it over the edge of the deck. This left me hanging out in the open, a perfect target. John, already wounded by the explosion that threw me off his boat, came out onto the bow, exposing himself to the fire directed at us from the jungle, and pulled me aboard.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005460 <-- Rassmann in WSJ

But the mind-numb public sees no difference in those renditions. Heck, when I catch one of my kids with such disparate stories, I KNOW a lie is being offered.

[OldFriend]

Reminds me of the two stories released regarding Kerry's purple heart that was earned before he was shot at.

Brinkley claimes the journal was written three years after the fact.

Kerry camp claims that it only meant that kerry hadn't been shot at yet on that particular boat.

[Cboldt]

Reminds me of the two stories released regarding Kerry's purple heart that was earned before he was shot at.

Only two? Golly. He and his minions are slipping.

FWIW, I'm way past Kerry on this. My heart breaks for the raw treatment our Vietnam veterans got. I want that out, in the open. America does not engage in dishonorable wars. Listen to O'Neill in 1971, on Cavett. It's a timeless point of view, that we can use our power for good; nad that we should finish what we step into.

[Criminal Number 18F]

I cannot begin to describe the embarrassment I feel that this chicken-chested weenie was ever in my regiment. All I can say is 10 years or so after the war they stopped having an easier course for officers.

If he got a purple heart for getting some river water up his nose, he's toast.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Criminal Number 18F]

The key thing in that little diagram is the one to three miles (5000m, claimed by Kerry) indicated by that little notch in the river illustration.

If you weren't comparing the text to the story, you would think from that diagram that Kerry stayed right in view.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Criminal Number 18F]

Does anyone know what he was doing on the boat that day?

He was one of two(?) Americans with a Mobile Strike Force company. He came from (I am not checking but going from memory here) A-404. The MSF was a group of vietnamese citizens, mostly ethnic minorities, who signed on to fight in units led by Americans, rather than get drafted into the regular ARVN. The pay and conditions were better in the MSF than the ARVN, but you would definitely get into fights. Companies of MSF tended to be organized ethnically, i.e., nungs, montagnards or Hoa Hao.

Oh, yeah: a company of MSF would be about 70-100 guys.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[OldFriend]

CNN now using President Bush's words that Kerry should be proud of his service as a rebuttal to the Swift Boat Vets for Truth.

What disgusting manipulation but then it is CNN and no one ought to be surprised at their bias.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I always thought it would be worthwhile checking Rasmann's 201 file to see if he and Kerry had a reciprocal arrangement for putting each other in for awards.

I always suspected that the reason some of the sailors on Kerry's boat support him is because there was "grade inflation" concerning decorations going on on Kerry's boat.

[Chieftain]

Are you about sick and tired of the lamestream media and the DemocRATS 'smear the messenger' campaign?

Do SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Do what Reagan did - GO AROUND THEM AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!

Get your own "EXPOSE KERRY'S FRAUD SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH" STICKER!

I put this sticker on my truck the other day. I get lots of honks and 'thumbs up'!

The sticker serves 3 purposes:
1 - Shows visible support for "Swift Boat Veterans For Truth" to passing motorists, (encourages our side discourages the libs).
2 - Gets the swiftvets.com website visible to the public, so they can and find out more about 'Hanoi John' Kerry.
3 - Circumvents the lamestream media BIAS filter!

Made by fellow FReeper disabled vet who has a bone to pick with Kerry, like we all do!
Large (24" Wide 12" Tall) $20 (like mine above)
Small (12" Wide 6" Tall) $10
Profits go to SwiftVets.com

Ping your FRiends, let 'em know about this!

FReep mail / private reply for details on how you can get one for your vehicle!

[Cboldt]

CNN now using President Bush's words that Kerry should be proud of his service as a rebuttal to the Swift Boat Vets for Truth.

Heheheh. That passes for a rebuttal? LOL. So did McCain's "dishonest and dishonorable" comment.

[OldFriend]

CNN was using the words in the context of the polls.

Clearly kerry is being hurt by the SBV ads so the media is trying to mitigate the effect by using President Bush against the charges.

DISGUSTING