Posted on 01/15/2006 8:45:10 AM PST by DJ Taylor
Murtha reminds me of an O-6 Group Commander I served under in Vietnam. I will not mention his name or unit as one should not speak ill of the dead, but having known this Colonel gives me some insight into what kind of officer Murtha probably was in Vietnam. A few years ago, when I received word my Colonels passing, I tried to think of something good to say about him, but could think of nothing. There must have been something good he did during his year tour in Vietnam, but all I could remember was how he had used his position to scam medals and further his own career; much like what Murtha appears to have done.
My Colonel, like Murtha, commanded from an air-conditioned office in one of Vietnam's beach resort cities. The units that he commanded were scattered throughout the country "From the Delta to the DMZ" so to speak, but when one of his units did battle with the enemy, he would wait until the battle was over and the area had been secured, and then he would swoop in on his personal helicopter full of reporters, journalists, and personal assistants to claim credit for the unit's success in battle. He would pose for photos with the journalists while his personal assistants gathered information to include in the awards for valor that the Colonel would claim for his leadership under fire, and his assistants would dutifully record his helicopter visits as combat assaults that would authorize Air Medals for themselves and for the Colonel. The Colonel's worthless Sergeant Major would reprimand the unit's NCOs for having a very messy battlefield and order them to hold a "police call" post haste, and then they would all load back up on their helicopter and fly back to their beach resort headquarters.
The good Colonel quickly amassed a chest full of medals doing this, but he was missing a Purple Heart for wounds received in combat, so this is what he did: A boil had developed from an ingrown hair on the Colonels leg right at the boot top. The Colonel went to the dispensary had the boil lanced and ordered the medic to fill out the form authorizing a Purple Heart. Such news travels fast, and within thirty days of this incident, every soldier in the Colonels command throughout the country knew what the Colonel had done to receive a Purple Heart.
An officer cannot do such things as this Colonel did without the troops knowing about it, and when they find out, they lose any respect that they may have for him. Any man who will lie, cheat, and steal medals as this Colonel, John Kerry, and Murtha apparently did, will not hesitate to lie, cheat, and steal in any other situation that arises. Murthas medals and his ABSCAM connection are more than likely only the tip of the iceberg in his life time record of dishonesty. Murthas current lapses of integrity are not a recent event; they are indications of a possible lifetime of duplicity and questionable integrity.
Until we know for certain, we should all be very carefully not to jump feet first into a Democrat trap.
Good point. It's possible Murtha served a particularly honorable tour or two in Vietnam and only later in life became a sniveling, cowardly, crooked politician who hates his country. Look at John McCain.
Since Mr. Murtha has apparently aligned himself with the kooks at Code Pink, I'd say some scrutiny is certainly warranted:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1555707/posts
Let me be the first on this thread to thank you for your service in Vietnam. I was a kid turning to early teenager at the time, and was aghast at the homecoming greetings for our servicemen and women. This is my chance to say how wrong I thought that was. My belated thanks for your dedication to our country!
Appears so...
I would see no need to pursue further inquiry into his posing...however
Though he is not running for higher office, he is harming our troops morale overseas by running his mouth on liberal lies...
Therefore, his act should be shut down with the truth...
Sir,
There is a lot of bullshit going on when it comes to combat medals.
I know it, and in time I'll post on the matter.
Meanwhile. Thank you for what you have done for us.
-Radix
Bump
=:- )
I am *by no means* a fan of McCain but I think it's very unfair to equate him with Murtha.I'm willing to assume that McCain's erratic behavior is the result of vicious abuse by the very goods friends of Kerry,Fonda,etc.
Murtha's just a scumbag who's willing to goose-step to the tune played by worthless filth like Dean,Pelosi and the Clintons.
Preserved for the ages.
It's a more widespread syndrome than that; it's Liberalitis. Where there is no Truth there are no lies and anything is legitimate.
Back up your statements by specific facts or STFU.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.