Posted on 10/10/2004 11:19:46 PM PDT by quidnunc
Midnight in South Vietnam, and the river is black. Past the rice paddies and shacks, small fires are burning by the shoreline as Lt. John H. Davis' 50-foot aluminum swift boat — PCF 19 — makes its routine patrol through the reeds.
In a split second, rocket fire shatters the silence, and through a plume of oily smoke, the boat sinks to the river's bottom.
"My whole crew lost their lives that night. I was the only one who survived," Lt. Davis says.
Lt. Davis, now 62, lost his left eye. The bones in both legs were shattered. But the scars of war are nothing compared to the demons that wake him from his sleep, leaving him drenched in sweat and trembling with fear.
"My latest nightmare was that I was pulling my crew out of the water. When it came to the last body, it was me."
Lt. Davis has come to Washington at his own expense, along with 89 other Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, to tape the eighth 60-second TV spot questioning Sen. John Kerry's fitness to be commander in chief.
They come from Oshkosh, Wis., and Orlando, Fla., San Francisco and Virginia Beach. One is on crutches. Others, former prisoners of war, walk stiffly, a result of being bound and tortured. Some wear their medals. Two are in cowboy boots.
Snow-haired Bud Day, a 79-year-old former POW, stands at attention. He is wearing a brown leather flight jacket befitting an Air Force major, complemented by the Medal of Honor around his neck. Others have donned "Swift Boat" baseball caps.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Bump!
BTTT
Terrific, powerful article... Wonder whether the quotes in the article are actually going to be part of the ads...
I'm quivering with excitement, these commercials plus the movie/documentary ought to really help us (yes us) win this election
Rank and organization: Colonel (then Major), U.S. Air Force, Forward Air Controller Pilot of an F-100 aircraft. Place and date: North Vietnam, 26 August 1967. Entered service at: Sioux City, Iowa. Born: 24 February 1925, Sioux City, Iowa. Citation: On 26 August 1967, Col. Day was forced to eject from his aircraft over North Vietnam when it was hit by ground fire. His right arm was broken in 3 places, and his left knee was badly sprained. He was immediately captured by hostile forces and taken to a prison camp where he was interrogated and severely tortured. After causing the guards to relax their vigilance, Col. Day escaped into the jungle and began the trek toward South Vietnam. Despite injuries inflicted by fragments of a bomb or rocket, he continued southward surviving only on a few berries and uncooked frogs. He successfully evaded enemy patrols and reached the Ben Hai River, where he encountered U.S. artillery barrages. With the aid of a bamboo log float, Col. Day swam across the river and entered the demilitarized zone. Due to delirium, he lost his sense of direction and wandered aimlessly for several days. After several unsuccessful attempts to signal U.S. aircraft, he was ambushed and recaptured by the Viet Cong, sustaining gunshot wounds to his left hand and thigh. He was returned to the prison from which he had escaped and later was moved to Hanoi after giving his captors false information to questions put before him. Physically, Col. Day was totally debilitated and unable to perform even the simplest task for himself. Despite his many injuries, he continued to offer maximum resistance. His personal bravery in the face of deadly enemy pressure was significant in saving the lives of fellow aviators who were still flying against the enemy. Col. Day's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Armed Forces.
Makes Kerry's medals look a little cheap doesn't it?
Surprisingly well done article. The MSM seem to want to tear these heroes to shreds, but hopefully they will somehow get their message out to enough people who will vote against this traitor in large numbers so as to overcome the fraud!!
God bless these brave men for their service to our country then and now. As a fellow Freeper, I feel proud to be one of their many supporters both spritually and financially.
The BEST money I ever spent, was the money I sent to the Swift Vets....
They are striking the blows that are long overdue, and are showing effect on the bloody corpse of that freaking phony poseur Kerry...
Semper Fi
Clearly absent from the Swiftboat campaign so far has been any mention of DOD standard form 180. It will be interesting to see if they can rachet up the pressure on Kerry with that?
Check THIS out. Wow!!
Let's face it, the Swiftees' message is NONPARTISAN. They would be doing the same thing if Kerry were running on the Republican ticket.
That is what the public doesn't get. Kerry behaved so egregiously in his youth as to display deep faults of character that render him thoroughly unfit for leadership. It's not about his political persuasion for the Swiftees.
By the way, if you have a ping list for military folks, would you mind pinging it?
This thread should not be missed. It sounds like Kerry is about to get buried.
Regards,
LH
BTTT
Great, great post.
Now let's see.... should I vote with Bud Day or with Michael Moore?
Look at this site too:
http://25thaviation.org/johnkerry/id15.htm
October Surprise?
BUMP....and 3 cheers:)
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