and "Cambodia John."
Posted on 06/07/2006 1:59:16 PM PDT by pabianice
Washington June 7, 2006 - "It isn't about medals, it's about honor betrayed," retired Air Force Col. George E. "Bud" Day said today, responding to the New York Times' report that Sen. John Kerry is attempting to resurrect his disputed Vietnam service and decorations as he readies for another Presidential campaign.
"The New York Times would be wise to stop dodging the real issue behind the veteran animus towards Mr. Kerry. He is anathema for a vast majority of Vietnam veterans who believe he betrayed them 35 years ago," Col. Day said.
A former Vietnam POW (1967-73) and Medal of Honor recipient, Col. Day is the most highly decorated Air Force veteran alive. He is also Chairman of the Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation, a non-profit organization of several POWs and the wife of a POW who are the targets of ongoing lawsuits filed by Kerry campaign aides last year. The VVLF POWs are accused of libeling and defaming Kerry and his anti-war followers in a 2004 documentary, "Stolen Honor: Wounds that Never Heal."
That film examined the impact of Kerry's testimony before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on American POWs being held in the notorious "Hanoi Hilton" prison camp. Then Lt. jg Kerry accused Vietnam veterans of being "war criminals" who raped and plundered the Vietnamese, "murdering over 200,000 innocent civilians each year."
When the Sinclair Broadcast Group announced plans to air "Stolen Honor" in October 2004, the Kerry/Edwards Campaign launched an all-out effort to prevent it from being shown or distributed. The producer, a thrice wounded, decorated Marine and a Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award-winner, was sued immediately by Kerry campaign aides. In the wake of Kerry campaign-inspired boycotts, stockholder actions, lawsuits and Congressional demands for FCC and FEC investigations, Sinclair backed off its planned airing of "Stolen Honor."
The recent New York Times article, "Kerry Pressing Swift Boat Case Long After Loss," revealed Kerry plans to re-ignite the issue of his Vietnam service and medals, roundly disputed by virtually all of his former commanding officers and shipmates who were part of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign.
According to the Times, Kerry has gathered "new evidence" to support his claims that he is a war hero. One piece of that "new evidence" is a "hat" the Massachusetts Senator says was given to him during a highly disputed "secret mission" into Cambodia on Christmas 1968.
"No matter how many versions of his four months in Vietnam Sen. Kerry literally pulls out of his 'hat,' or the medals he shunned then embraced, all of that is nothing but reportorial smoke and fog designed to obscure the far more important issue - John Kerry's deliberate betrayal of his countrymen." Col. Day added, "That alone compelled many POWs and most Vietnam veterans, Swift Boaters included, to stand firm against this poser, this strutting would-be hero and turncoat."
and "Cambodia John."
Right on target.
Way to go, Col Bud. Hit him and hit him again. Harder, harder!
Some background on the remarkable Col Day. Curious Hollywierd never was interested in making a biopic based on his career. O h wait, they did make 'Born on the Forth of July':
SETTING: On 8 August 1967, 23 miles WNW of Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. Major Bud Day, in an F-100F, identified an enemy storage area. Controlling eight F-105s, he directed bombs on target, destroying SAMS, trucks, and tons of supplies, despite heavy ground fire. A jeep escaped from the destruction. Major Day pursued and fired a white phosphorous rocket. It went through the windshield, destroying the jeep and three enemy troops. Returning to the storage area, Major Day directed F-105s against the site as the enemy tried to recover SAMS. He also marked tunnels for F-4s to close. Major Day then returned home--just another day for Misty 01.
Colonel George E. "Bud" Day was born in Iowa in 1925. He is America's most highly decorated living soldier, and the most highly decorated since General Douglas MacArthur. In a military career spanning 34 years and three wars, Day received seventy decorations, more than fifty of them for combat. They include the Congressional Medal of Honor. Day started his military career as a Marine enlisted man in 1942 and served 30 months in the South Pacific during World War II. Returning home, he entered college, studied law, and passed the bar examination in 1949. In 1950, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Iowa National Guard. He joined the Air Force in 1951 and completed pilot training later that year. He then served two tours in the Far East as a fighter-bomber pilot during the Korean War, flying F-84s. Day also earned the distinction, while stationed in England, of living through the first no-parachute bailout from a burning fighter. Recognition of his experience and abilities led to his selection as the initial commander of the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the first "Misty" Super FAC unit. In F-100Fs, he and his men flew missions over North Vietnam, finding and marking targets for other fighter-bombers to strike. The Misty squadron flew one of the most dangerous missions of the Vietnam War. In Day's case, his accumulation of over 5000 hours of flying time and 4500 hours of single-engine jet time came to an abrupt halt while on a mission in the back seat of an F-100F, checking out a new Misty pilot. On 26 August 1967, Day was shot down over North Vietnam. Following his ejection, the North Vietnamese captured him. Despite serious injuries, he managed to escape his captors and evade through the Demilitarized Zone back into South Vietnam. Within sight of friendly aircraft, the enemy recaptured him. He was then returned to the North, where he was imprisoned. He is the only prisoner ever to escape from North Vietnam and return all the way through the Demilitarized Zone to South Vietnam. Thus, he began a 67-month ordeal that would end only when he was released from captivity. On 14 March 1973, Day left Vietnam in a C-141, and, with his fellow POWs, returned to freedom. In short order, he was reunited with his wife and four children in the United States. After a short recuperative period, Day was returned to active flying status. Colonel Day retired from active duty in 1977. He now travels and lectures to civilian and military audiences about the war, their POW experiences, and his book, Return with Honor.*
Was it ever shown ?
John Kerry pretends to be a hero. Colonel Day's record is that of a true hero, patriot, and one hell of a man.
Wasn't Stolen Honor shown by Sinclair, but in a very sanitized fashion? Could be wrong; I remember them showing something that did not live up to the hype.
Why don't some/all of the vets take polygraph tests and put the issue to bed. I know its not admissable in court, but in the court of popular opinion it would be hugh. I'm series about this.
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