You're a GREAT American, Tonk!
I spent 3yrs on a destroyer in the Navy from
'66-'69 as a Gunners Mate, GMG3.
USS CORRY DD 817 '68-'69 Gulf of Tonkin Yacht Club Member.
http://www.uss-corry.com/
Home port was Norfolk Virginia
and sailed with her in the North Atlantic,
Caribbean,(dealt with Cuban gunboats off of Havana in Jan '68)
thru the Panama Canal, across the Pacific to Viet Nam and back.
I was there the same time Kerry was.
I was there Oct'68-Apr'69 on the destroyer USS Corry DD-817
which supplied PCF's and PBR's
and provided gunfire and gunfire support
in North AND South Viet Nam.
My ship may have even supplied
Kerry's boat in the Mekong Delta
Although there are many similarities between naval gunfire support
and Operation Sea Dragon (which ended Nov '68), they differ in two important areas:
naval gunfire support is normally fired at the request of troops ashore,
while Sea Dragon's mission is the interdiction of supplies and destruction
of military targets; and naval gunfire support is always conducted in South Vietnam,
while Sea Dragon missions are fired only above the demilitarized zone.
29 US Navy ships received gunfire from Viet Cong shore batteries.
My ship DID NOT get hit by the VC.
In Feb '69 my ship was part of Operation Bold Mariner
which was the largest amphibious assault since Korea.
You're a GREAT American, Tonk!
Keep up the pressure. Kerry is on the offensive, he knows he lied and knows it is going to catch up with him.
bump
Thanks Tonk. A very good post. Thanks again for your service to this country and fighting for us.
We are honored here on FReerepublic to have you telling your story of Viet Nam service.. I mean it. History only survives if people are willing to pass down their experiences to future generations. Future FReepers must learn the truth, and real stories from veterans are the best way to pass it on.
Thank you for your service to America.
All the Best,
Thanks for the ping!
BTTT!!!!!!!