Evidence Shows Crewmate Rev. Alston Never Served Under Sen. Kerry

August 10, 2004 | The Bandit

[The Bandit]

For years now we have been lead to believe that both Sen. Kerry and the Rev. David Alston had served together on the PCF-94 in Vietnam, and therefore, making David Alston an eyewitness to Kerry's actions and heroism. The fact that Sen. Kerry has used a famous photo of himself together with David Alston and other crewmates while serving on swift boats in Vietnam, left little reason to believe anything differently. As with most anything having to do with Sen. Kerry -- nothing is ever as it first appears to be.

There can be little doubt that Sen. Kerry and David Alston wanted to deceive people into believing the two served together on the PCF-94 swift boat by the following statements:

David Alston  said of Kerry, "We were in a lot of firefights," Alston said. "You learn a lot about people. After a firefight, John would come up to me and he would put his hand on me and he'd say, 'David, are you all right?'"  And Kerry added: "I didn't know then that I had a man of God on my boat. That's probably why I'm here today." (Orlando Sentinel, 1/31/04)

"I stand here before you only because almighty God saw our boat safely through those rivers of death and destruction, by giving us a brave, wise, and decisive leader named John Kerry." (David Alston in a speech before the Democratic Convention, and the world.)

Rev. David Alston says, "When the bullets started to hit the side of the ship, we found out that John Kerry [could] lead. (Kerry for President Campaign Ad that aired early February '04)

Only problem with the above statements is that the are flat out false because David Alston was never a crew member under Sen. Kerry nor could he had ever participated in combat operations with Sen. Kerry because they were from two different boats. From December to January 29, 1969 Sen. Kerry commanded the PCF-44 while David Alston was the Gunner onboard the PCF-94 under Lt.(jg) Peck. On January 29, 1969 both Peck and Alston were wounded and hospitalized. We know Alston was wounded on that date because his causality report was made available briefly by the Kerry Campaign before they removed it. Here is what it said:

AWFA: GMG2 DAVID MARION Alston, USN, 99T 57 46
BRAVO: ACTIVE DUTY, ATTACHED TO COASTAL DIVISION ELEVEN AT AN THOI, RVN
CHARLIE: INJURY, HOSTILE FIRE
DELTA: 29, JAN 69, 1030H, SONG CUA LON - SONG BO DE, WHILE SERVING AS FORWARD GUNNER ABOARD PCF 94, ENGAGED IN CORDON AND SEARCH OPERATIONS IN THE ABOVE RIVER, GMG2 Alston RECEIVED SHRAPNEL WOUNDS TO HIS HEAD WHEN PCF CAME UNDER INTENSE HOSTILE ROCKET AND A/W FIRE.
ECHO: CONDITION GOOD, PROGNOSIS GOOD. PRESENCE OF NOK IS NOT MEDICALLY WARRANTED AS REPORTED BY CORPSMAN.
FOXTROT: MRS. IDA MCQUILLAR Alston, MOTHER
GOLF: NOK NOT OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED. REQ NOK NOT REPEAT NOT BE NOTIFIED.
HOTEL: SERVICEMAN TREATED BY CORPSMAN AND MEDEVACED TO 29TH EVAC HOSP. BINH THUY.
2. PATIENT ABL TO COMMUNICATE WITH NOK.
3. NO FURTHER INFO WILL FOLLOW.

This confirms the date of David Alston's wounds, but it does not tell how seriously wounded David Alston was. There is no military medical records available for David Alston, and you cannot go by the causality reports description of good and prognosis is good because they will always say that even if you had both legs shattered -- and then there is the fact no medical doctor had yet evaluated him. But we can today see the severity of the wound Alston suffered as shown below from as Rev. Alston stood before recent Democratic Convention delegates.

As one can see, it was a sever wound indeed, and Alston most likely lost tissue and scalp from this injury. This is important evidence for dating another picture of him with Sen. Kerry below.

 

Now let's take a closer look at Alston.

 

No signs of a serious head wound, or the treatment of such a wound, which would had required visible head shaving that still  would have been visible weeks later if this picture was taken in early March as sometimes suggested by writers. Thus, we can be confident that the picture in question was taken prior to January 29, 1969 when Sen. Kerry was still skipper of the PCF-44 and Alston was the gunner on the PCF-94. How did Sen. Kerry get in this picture then? We know Coastal Division 11 and 13 were participating in joint operations in January of 1969 from the Command History of Division 11 released by the Navy, and no doubt that the crews from each division shared the same faculties and socialize among themselves.

Now that we know when and how Alston was wounded, we can see how Alston could not have been part of Sen. Kerry's crew on the PCF-94 because he had been replaced, just as the wounded Lt. Peck had been replaced by Kerry after the January 29th incident that lead to both Alston and Peck being hospitalized. Was David Alston able to return to the PCF-94 during anytime between February 1 and March 13, Kerry's last combat mission? No evidence that he did or even the suggestion he physically could have with the injury he had suffered,  because we know that on February 28, 1969, Fred Short was onboard and described as an replacement for a wounded David Alston. We Know David Alston was not onboard for Kerry's last combat mission on March 13, either. Therefore, we can confidently say David Alston was never part of Kerry's PCF-94 crew from February 1 through March 13, 1969 because he was still recovering from his head wounds.

Now we need to answer whether David Alston could had been able to participate in combat missions with Kerry from a different swift boat? Looking at the daily combat missions for Coastal Division 11 we do not find both the PCF-44 (Kerry's boat) and the PCF-94 (Alston's boat) involved in any joint missions together. This conclusion is further supported by the fact David Alston or any other Kerry supporter has ever ventured to describe specific missions that Alston and Kerry could have participated in. All discussion of Alston and Kerry together is vague, generalized and non-specific.

Everything we were told by David Alston, Sen. Kerry and his people are clearly false about in regards to Kerry's relationship with David Alston. This is not a mere little slip of the tongue, but an orchestrated scheme over the last few years to outright deceive people about Sen. Kerry's military service. Why did the Rev. David Alston put himself into this position of deception and lies?

"I owe John Kerry my life,"  the Rev. David Alston was quoted as saying, "But John Kerry owes his life to me, too." This just might be true, but not in the sense that Kerry saved Alston's life during Vietnam, but for what he may have done for Alston after Vietnam and what Alston is doing for Kerry now for his run for the White House.

After both Kerry and Alston departed Vietnam, the two stayed in contact and Kerry had invited Alston to his first wedding, to Julia Thorne in 1970, and sent Christmas cards to Alston's parents' house. Kerry aides contacted Alston in 1996, after a story in a Boston paper "accusing him of being a killer," Alston told the Charlotte Observer.

"That was just false, and I was happy to tell people that," Alston said. "In Vietnam, killing an enemy soldier meant saving men's lives. It was something that had to be done." The incident in question here was on February 28, 1969, for which Alston was not part in because he was recovering from a head wound.

David Alston's mother-in-law, Beulah Lowery, has said: "He didn't like to talk about it [Vietnam], so we didn't press him," Lowery said. "But David always appreciated what he (Kerry) did for them. He talked real nice about him." Was Sen. Kerry so good to the Rev. Alston that Alston would do anything for him, like mislead voters on his behalf? Only David Alston can answer this question.

Another troubling question arises from this disclosure -- why haven't the rest of Sen. Kerry's supporting "Band of Brothers" stepped forward and correct the record of the Kerry/Alston relationship, something they know firsthand cannot be possible? Perhaps we will be find Kerry has been very good to them as well.

[texasbluebell]

Registered, what do you think about 85?

[Robert A Cook PE]

Look carefully at your blow-up of the reverend and the two crew members on the left of the photo:

There is a "fuzzy" distortion around their head and shoulders - exactly as if the pixels between their head and the water were blended or mixed together.

Check a similar "blowup" at a similar magnification of Kerry's head - I'm willing to be you'll see a clean, sharp transition from his head to the water - since that part of thephoto would NOT have been edited.

And, why, oh why, does the shroud in the middle vanish halfway in the middle?

[Physicist]

The shadow to Kerry's left isn't human. You are correct, it seems to be a piece of equipment.

Now I'm not so sure. It seems the shadow to his left is unbroken, but it falls on a box of shiny ammunition. Those apparent rows of sunlight through a grating seem to be the reflections off rows of .50 cal rounds.

Maybe the photo is legit.

[Bob]

29 JAN 1969 Cua Lon Rivers

Early in the morning seven swift boats embarked on a mission to destroy enemy installations along the Cua Lon River. While Kerry's boat and another (PCF72) were probing a canal along the river, Kerry's boat came under heavy fire and was hit by a B-40 rocket in the cabin area. One member of Kerry's crew -- Forward Gunner David Alston - suffered shrapnel wounds in his head. His injuries were not considered serious and he was sent to the 29th Evac Hospital at Binh Thuy.

As much of this story as I can figure out, this was the engagement when Alston and his OIC, Lt. Peck were both wounded on PCF-94. kerry replaced Peck after he was wounded. Had it been kerry's boat, he would certainly have been wounded when the B-40 hit the cabin area. kerry wasn't wounded but Peck was.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Disagree: the "water" waves shows through clearly directly through the missing part of the shroud when you look on the left half of the photo, but the olive drab shroud is rigid (non-moving) and shows clearly a different texture and tone and color on Kerry's half of the picture.

[Chaguito]

One characteristic of folks like Kerry, who manifest Narcissistic Personality Disorder, is that they are very good at surrounding themselves with people who depend on the narcissist to give them a sense of personality. Most often the people are incompetent, or at least think of themselves as incompetent. The Narcissist uses them to gain his sense of grandiosity. It is extremely frustrating to deal with, since no amount of logic or evidence can break the bond.

[longshadow]

I just looked at it at 400%, and there appears (I'm not an expert, but I've digitally doctored photos for fun on occasion) to be digital editing artifacts, especially where the Reverend's body overlaps the guy to the right. It looks as though someone used a "blur" or "smudge" tool. Similar strange effects are visible on the left arm of the leftmost sailor, as it overlaps the Reverend.

I'd sure like to see the original of this pic.....

[js1138]

There would be two light sources, if not three in this photo. First is the sun, behind the photographer. Second would be the flash on the camera, as all cameras back then used flash cubes. Third would be the sun reflecting off various surfaces, such as metal or water.

Its not a fake.

I was thinking along similar lines. It is possible to have shadows in several directions in a photograph due to reflections from the primary source. Also from flash, as you point out. The photo doesn't look fake to me, but the accompanying story looks suspicious.

Now about memories, seared and otherwise. I recently put together some photographs I took in Vietnam. I was amazed that I couldn't remember where many of them were taken. One of them is of the comm center where I worked every day. I can't see the guard shack, although I remember having to go past it several times a day.

I think what will come of all of this is that no one clearly remembers the details of who was on what boat on what day, and I know that record keeping will not solve this puzzle.

If we are after Kerry I think we need to focus on who wrote the recommendations for his medals. I think there is a story there.

[popparollo]

Oddly, He is not with the "group". The picture needs scrutinizing. Be careful, False info will abound in the coming days. Factually document everything!!!
Remember, a wonderful expression comes to mind...
TRUST BUT VERIFY!!!

Kerry's kronies are very busy. He has staff reading this site at this very moment. His money has purchased many things and people.

Johnny you are a LIAR. Remember what you missed Johnny?
WHAT DID YOU MISS JOHNNY?? To many lies to keep track of, to many false stories to remember. 1965-1970???

[poindexter]

"We're witnessing the historic unraveling of a presidential campaign up close. Probably 90% of the electorate are still unaware, but not for long!"

It won't matter, unfortunately. We had the goods on Bill Clinton in 1992, big time. He got elected anyway. And re-elected.

We had a referendum on character in 1992, and the issue was settled. It doesn't matter.

[TankerKC]

This is a real reach. I'll just go back to Sec. Rumsfled's, "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" quote.

[ex 98C MI Dude]

I know what you are saying. I spent 2 years at Camp Hovey, but couldn't draw an accurate map of the place on a bet. And that was only 14 years ago, let alone 30+ years.

Memories are inherently flawed. But when we get so many people saying that this is not how it happened, one gets suspicious of the story.

And the records on that war are incomplete. So Kerry will probably get away with this. We still have his Senate record to delve into. And that is a treasure trove.

[js1138]

I think this uproar will be indecisive, but it will deny Kerry the high ground in Vietnam. The best he can hope for is that he will still have his medals when it is over. But he will not want to bring up the subject again.

On to bigger and better things: his record since 1970.

[TexKat]

Found this:

Clover Kerry critic to appear on national cable talk show

Alston, who served with Kerry aboard a different swift boat than Gardner, spoke on national television during prime-time at the Democratic National Convention last month. Alston told the country that he loved and respected Kerry, even trusting Kerry with his own life.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Look at the "shroud" and "the machine gun" (the one missing its barrel!) in the middle of the picture.

See anything funny about those pixels?

[rolling_stone]

I know that record keeping will not solve this puzzle.


Well there should be paperwork as to when Alston was released from the hospital and returned to duty, would he have returned to light duty or straight back to combat?

I suspect the photo was made when Kerry was shipping out and it was one last photo op for his friends, the pictue was reportedly taken by Mike Madeiros one of the crewmates. it is a stretch of logic to believe that the picture is a phony, but with Kerry anything is possible..what I do notice is everyone seems to be squinting from the sun, Alston seems to be turning his head straight on maybe to hide his injury? Either way the question remains there are 13 days from 2/28 when short was on the boat and Alston wasn't (according to another quote)to 3/13 the last mission with Kerry before he bugged out..Were there any combat missions as Alston seems to state in campaign materials? Maybe Alston returned to the boat for light duty but did not go on combat missions after his injury thus the photo...maybe he went out on missions but there was no combat...if he wasn't on the boat on 3/13 its logical he wasn't on the boat on 3/12 or earlier also..maybe someone should just ask Alston.......

lots of questions, but the Archives will hold many answers... anyone in DC/College Park area? Eventually all Kerry's records that are not personal will be scrutinized as someone will write a follow up book with more supporting documents, the question is when..before the election or after?

[Oldeconomybuyer]

bump

[GeorgiaLee]

There is no way to tell how serious the head wound was from the keloid. A very small scar can grow to horrific porportions many times the size of the original wound. Some keloid scars never stop growing. No, I am not a medical professional, yes, I have personal experience with them. A less than 1/8 inch scar has grown to over 4 inches long and over 2 inches wide over 15 years.

[js1138]

I don't suspect the photo (at this time) of being fake, but I believe it has been fraudulently presented as representing the crew of a single boat.

I am almost certain that any head wound, no matter how minor, would have resulting in shaving. Even it only required a band-aid.

If this guy engaged in combat operations on Kerry's boat after January 29, I think there would be other evidence. Kerry is the most photographed vet I've seen. He has hours of super-8 film. Where is this guy?

[TankerKC]

The set of enlisted in the pictures in completely different.

I don't think so.

Three appear to be the same.