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Alston Never Served Under Kerry
Captain's Quarters ^ | 8/14/2004 | captain ed

Posted on 08/14/2004 7:15:31 AM PDT by stayout

For those of you who have not been fully following the Swift Vet's story, one of Kerry's traveling entourage (David Alston) claimed he was under Kerry's command on a PBF and found Kerry to be a great leader. He even gave a speech to that effect at the Democratic National Convention, where he said the following:

I know him from a small boat in Vietnam, where we fought and bled together, serving our country. There were six of us aboard PCF-94, a 50-foot, twin-engine craft known as a "Swift Boat." We all came from different walks of life, but all of us-including our skipper, John Kerry-volunteered for combat duty. And combat is what we got.

However, one intrepid blogger now has proven that to be a lie, Alston never served under Kerry because Alston was wounded and out of action before Kerry took command of Alston's boat. Here is the final bit of proof (published early this morning), I suggest you go to Captain's Quarters to find all the previous analysis leading up to this astonishing coup de gras (pass the word):

Alston Never Served Under Kerry

Thanks to reader Lori in Texas, I think we've just about pieced the record together on David Alston and his supposed service under John Kerry's command. Lori points out a sympathetic article on Dale Sandusky, one of the few Swift boat veterans supporting Kerry and one that served on his boat, specifically gives the timing on Kerry's command of PCF-94:

In January 1969, Sandusky's boat, PCF-94, came under attack during one such ambush. Lt. Ted Peck, the officer in charge, and another crewman were seriously wounded. Sandusky had to take command. The boat was sinking and on fire, but Sandusky steered it back to safety. They counted 155 bullet holes in the boat and found a live enemy rocket in the main cabin. It had come to rest in a sack of potatoes.

For his actions, Sandusky would receive the Bronze Star.

With their officer headed home, the crew of PCF-94 needed a leader. And Lt. j.g. John Kerry, whose crew on PCF-44 had rotated back home, needed men to lead.

"I was sure glad he came along," Sandusky said, "because to be honest, I didn't want to take command."

From Jan. 30 to March 13, 1969, Kerry and the crew of the PCF-94 would conduct 18 missions in the Mekong Delta river system. In that time, Kerry would earn a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and add two Purple Hearts to the one he received earlier.

Bingo! Yachtzee! Alston received his serious wounds in that same exact battle that took Peck out of service. On January 29th, Alston was medevaced out to a hospital with head wounds and no records indicate that he ever returned to the unit. Kerry took command of PCF-94 the next day. Alston never served a day under Kerry's command. In fact, Kerry received a replacement, Fred Short, on 28 February as a replacement for Alston.

Now what does that tell us about Kerry and his Viet Nam narrative?

1. He and Alston conspired to deceive people about Alston's service under Kerry. That conspiracy was intended to give John Kerry cover against exactly the kind of campaign he faces from the other Swiftvets.

2. The "end of January" language on Kerry's website was intentionally vague in order to fuzzy up the timeline and keep Alston's true status a secret. Obviously, Sandusky remembers the dates well enough, and Kerry could easily have gotten them from him if he wanted to be as specific as his other dates on the timeline.

3. The DNC either were saps or actively participated in the conspiracy in order to assist Kerry in his Viet Nam mythology. Otherwise, why would they have allowed David Alston to speak at the convention about his experiences serving with John Kerry on the boat?

4. Kerry's band of brothers have some complicity in this cover-up as well. Those who served on PCF-94 surely remember that Alston never served under Kerry; Sandusky specifically recalls Peck being wounded and removed from command, but he wouldn't remember that Alston left at the same time?

5. One could argue that they served on the same boat, of course, and I look forward to that Clintonian parsing used in Kerry's defense. After holding Alston up as an expert on his leadership, he'll be hard pressed to explain how that expertise came to Alston from a hospital bed miles away from Kerry and his old PCF.

If this gets out to the mainstream media, this story kills Kerry's campaign. This isn't just a guy embellishing his war record -- this is a deliberate and longstanding attempt to mislead and defraud people by creating his own witnesses after the fact. That he could have done such a clumsy job should disqualify him for higher office on that basis alone.

Posted by Captain Ed at August 14, 2004 01:25 AM



TOPICS:
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To: dennisw

is this a "real" picture. Reason I ask is this. The 4 other men look like they are in the same picture and if you notice they kinda make a U. Kerry looks like he was dropped/Photoshopped into that pic because his body is facing like a different direction and from a body language POV, looks to me like possibly this was maybe (not saying it is) super imposed into it. Based on the stories, I've heard about Kerry reinacting his battle scenes and such for him home movie camera, is there any way to see if any one can figure out if this is real or fake?

Thanks.


341 posted on 08/15/2004 9:03:19 AM PDT by genxer
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To: TankerKC

Read the entire article at captain's quarters--in fact, go there and read what he has posted for the last three days. I'm not going to predigest it for you.


342 posted on 08/15/2004 9:04:20 AM PDT by the Real fifi
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To: genxer
I think it's real. There's another almost like it. Both supposedly extracted from the Super 8 movies John Kerry took
343 posted on 08/15/2004 9:05:21 AM PDT by dennisw (Once is Happenstance. Twice is Coincidence. The third time is Enemy action. - Ian Fleming)
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To: the Real fifi

OK. I'll do that. Then you'll have time to go around changing the subject with other folks. Maybe you can use your scar theory again.


344 posted on 08/15/2004 9:06:53 AM PDT by TankerKC (R.I.P. Spc Trevor A. Win'E American Hero)
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To: the Real fifi
RE: Alston's mom. I found a reference to his mom. It is not a part of the article. It is a post in response to the article. Here it is:

One account I read says that Alston was wounded in two places in the same encounter. He was "grazed" on the head and shot in the arm (his Mom later says he was wounded in the shoulder). That would seem to suggest non-serious head wound, a possibly more serious arm/shoulder wound.

It doesn’t say anything about him going home. Since you can't find it again, I'll assume you read it while in Cambodia.

345 posted on 08/15/2004 9:15:21 AM PDT by TankerKC (R.I.P. Spc Trevor A. Win'E American Hero)
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To: stayout
The following artlcle claims an arm--not head--wound. How do we get the definitive story?
Kerry took over command of Alston's boat, PCF-94, after a battle in which the boat's previous lieutenant had been injured. Alston was also wounded in that fight, a clean gunshot through the arm.

Vietnam comrade recalls Kerry as leader
Even in '69, crewmate thought Swift boat officer was going places
ANNA GRIFFI, Staff Writer, charlotte.com


346 posted on 08/15/2004 9:23:10 AM PDT by Mia T (Stop Clintons' Undermining Machinations (The acronym is the message.))
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To: sharktrager

i agree. Continued research and theorizing is fine, important even. But we mustn't fall into the trap of citing unsubstantiated theory as fact. Doing so will undermine the swiftee effort.


347 posted on 08/15/2004 10:19:04 AM PDT by Mia T (Stop Clintons' Undermining Machinations (The acronym is the message.))
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To: Mia T

If you go to cptain's quarters and read what he posted over the last 2 or 3 days may of your questions will be answered.


348 posted on 08/15/2004 10:35:53 AM PDT by the Real fifi
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To: stayout

If this gets out to the mainstream media,....

$$
I can't say that I've seen any pigs flying today.


349 posted on 08/15/2004 10:48:13 AM PDT by Bigg Red (Never again trust Democrats with national security!)
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To: All
Did you see Fox News Sunday? Discussing this issue, Susan Page (USA Today) said she was visiting in the Midwest this week and "people are becoming skeptical about Kerry's Viet Nam service".

Kerry's vulnerable right now and the Swift Boat Vets need to drive their point home. Adding more charges (Alston didn't serve with him or the photo's a fake) will just add to the muddle.

The SBVFT need to boil it down to ONE MESSAGE in a 30-second spot:

[O'Neill, w/ swift boat picture on screen behind him]

Two weeks ago Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ran its first ad pointing out the inconsistencies in John Kerry's version of events when he served in Viet Nam. Kerry's spin machine immediately began to smear the personal integrity of these highly decorated veterans rather than address the specific questions we raised. Ironically, the Kerry campaign has now had to recant major portions of one of his claims, that he fought in Cambodia in 1968.

[List of unreleased records scroll across the screen behind him]

Rather than make personal attacks on his fellow veterans, Kerry should simply release ALL his military records. The records listed here remain out of public view...Kerry has not released them. Those records will reveal who is telling the truth.

[Full screen--O'Neill's face]

Tell John Kerry it's time to release ALL his records...and let the public decide.

That's all they need to say. The public, but especially reporters, will get it. I believe most reporters honestly think Kerry has released all his records and will be surprised by this ad. (They don't like being surprised.) Remember the old adage: Keep it simple, stupid. That's what this ad would do.

Now, how do I get it to O'Neill?

350 posted on 08/15/2004 11:18:58 AM PDT by Timeout ("Go, balloons. Go, balloons. --- What the *$*@# are you guys doing up there?!" CNN/DNC)
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To: stayout

As every shoddy scummy Kerry lie is exposed, he becomes more and more the perfect Dim candidate.

Many people mistakenly think this is a liability. To the contrary, it is his primary qualification to lead the Dim party.

Wait and see.


351 posted on 08/15/2004 11:39:45 AM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: Timeout

Go to swiftvets.com and see if they have a contact email. I also under he has an email address (at his lawfirm) which a FR reader posted.


352 posted on 08/15/2004 11:43:28 AM PDT by the Real fifi
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To: sharktrager
If there is an error, all of this hype will hurt the cause and discredit the group. I agree with them.

Actually, if evidence of the Alston accusation cannot be substantiated, the libmedia will portray the Alston accusation as the entirety of the Swifties' charges and then 'refute' it, thereby neutralizing their threat.

I'm certain there is an army of Dim lawyers poring over the records at this moment to try to do exactly that. It's their M.O.
353 posted on 08/15/2004 11:44:51 AM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: George W. Bush

Actually, the swifties have made NO accusations about Alston and have asked people not to make such charges until all the evidence is in. But if the Alston claims are proven false, they will add credibility to the swifties' more general charges about Kerry's fraudlent service record.


354 posted on 08/15/2004 11:59:45 AM PDT by the Real fifi
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To: Grampa Dave
Possibly, I suppose.

I understand that VVAW has the pic on their site, though .....


355 posted on 08/15/2004 12:07:49 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: Grampa Dave
Not VVAW. I think I meant the VVAJK ....

356 posted on 08/15/2004 12:09:04 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: stayout
This is HUGH!


357 posted on 08/15/2004 12:19:18 PM PDT by JOE6PAK (Tagline will return in HDTV this Sept. Check local listings.)
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To: MeekOneGOP
>> You have Alston standing there in his full uniform (BDU's), while the rest of the crew is in a very relaxed state of dress. > To me it looks like the swift boat crew just came back from patrol, saw their friend Alston on the dock and said "hey, let's get a picture Alston." That is along the lines of what I was thinking about the coincidence of Alston being in that pic.

?Working theory?:
Alston was on limited duty back at base, yet still nominally part of the crew until officially replaced by Fred Short?

358 posted on 08/15/2004 12:24:54 PM PDT by dread78645 (Sorry Mr. Franklin, We couldn't keep it.)
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To: Timeout

perfect commercial. did you find O'Neill's e-mail address yet?


359 posted on 08/15/2004 1:18:14 PM PDT by bitt (Release all the records; sign the 180, john kerry.)
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To: bitt; Timeout

Contact Swift veterans at Latch@SwiftVets.com

Send web site questions to Admin@SwiftVets.com

For media inquiries, use Media@SwiftVets.com


360 posted on 08/15/2004 1:21:26 PM PDT by bitt (Release all the records; sign the 180, john kerry.)
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