PFC 94 and crew 7 days(March 6, 1969) before this incident. No LTJG Kerry is listed. No Kerry listed at all.
Makes you wonder don't it?
Posted on 01/18/2004 1:25:29 PM PST by Indy Pendance
ES MOINES, Jan. 17 — It is March 13, 1969, and Lt. John Kerry, 25, a Silver Star winner and holder of two Purple Hearts, is piloting his Navy boat up the treacherous Bay Hap River in Vietnam, a day after escaping a Vietcong ambush.
Suddenly, a mine blast rocks the boat and enemy fire explodes from both banks. Lieutenant Kerry is thrown into the bulkhead, bashing his head and arm. And then, from the fantail, comes a cry, "Man overboard!" A Special Forces officer — a tall, sharp-featured, redheaded lieutenant Mr. Kerry would remember only as Rassmann — is 200 yards aft, surfacing and diving for his life as snipers rake the river.
In the chaos, Mr. Kerry turns the boat on a dime, races forward, pulls the soldier into the bow and steers to safety. As a result, he wins the Bronze Star with a combat "V" for valor and his third Purple Heart: a ticket home from Vietnam for good.
He never sees Rassmann again.
Until Saturday, Jan. 17, 2004, a day after Jim Rassmann, 56, a retired Los Angeles sheriff's deputy and orchid lover, awoke in Florence, Ore., and decided to contact Senator John Kerry's campaign.
So Mr. Rassmann flew to Iowa. "I'm a news junkie," he said at a news conference here. "I've followed John's career since '84. I wrote him a letter then and invited him to dinner if he ever came to L.A. Never heard back."
"I'm a Volvo Republican, a practical idealist," Mr. Rassmann continued. "He stands for things I'd like to stand for. And he's an honest man. With a good healthy ego, but not an ego that knows no bounds."
En route from Davenport, Mr. Kerry was staggered to learn by phone of Mr. Rassmann's emergence. "I'm amazed," he said in a raspy, halting voice. "It's stunning. It's amazing to have a guy from 35 years ago just appear."
He said, "You know, I never thought I'd ever see the guy again."
About 4:30 p.m., he did: Mr. Rassmann, not so tall, not so sharp-featured now, his not-so-red hair thinning on top, embraced Mr. Kerry. His broad, beaming face quickly melted into sobs. Mr. Kerry squeezed it in both hands.
Collecting himself, Mr. Rassmann spoke up. "John didn't have to, but he came to the front under fire," he said. "The bow, pardon me, sir. I always had a problem with Navy terminology. And pulled me over. Had he not, there's no question in my mind that I probably would've fallen back into the river. He could've been shot and killed at any time, and so could I. So I figure I probably owe this man my life."
Mr. Kerry listened, then told a mob of television cameras and political reporters, "This is a brave, unbelievably patriotic American."
To which Mr. Rassmann added an endorsement of his own: "He's going to get my vote."
Kerry is the Musnster lookalike.
I suppose this is a way to attract the activist types (of whom ISU has relatively few, compared to other college campi) away from Dean. But this is a war that was over before these kids were born.
Also, I find it interesting that the Vietnamistas didn't see the light when Johnson was president, but that's a discussion for another day.
I find it interesting that a Yalie doesn't answer his mail. Rassman wouldn't have received a response from Ketchup King even if he were a constituent. Kerry simply doesn't answer his mail. I wonder if Gigolo John might be dyslexic or maybe even illiterate. After all, I know dozens of people who have written his office and no of no one who has received a reply, not even a canned reply.
Kerry did some brave and honorable things. It is sad that after he did them, he chose to side with the anti_American crowd. That doesn't negate what he did, but it must be taken into context when looking at the whole man.
To serve, take fire and assist a fallen comrad is commendable.....
I'll not slam him for that.
Thank you for that acknowledgement of a heroic American military serviceman. Whatever the man's politics and however much he touts it now, I think it is awful to not give credit for his bravery in Viet Nam. That is something that should not be taken lightly and certainly should not be made fun of
En route from Davenport, Mr. Kerry was staggered to learn by phone of Mr. Rassmann's emergence. "I'm amazed," he said in a raspy, halting voice. "It's stunning. It's amazing to have a guy from 35 years ago just appear."
Yeah, right. He just appeared after all these years. I'm glad you saved the life of Mr. Rasmussen and you're due respect for your military service, Senator Kerry, but to claim you were surprised at his happenstance appearance at this crucial time in your campaign is beyond belief.
PFC 94 and crew 7 days(March 6, 1969) before this incident. No LTJG Kerry is listed. No Kerry listed at all.
Makes you wonder don't it?
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