(KERRY)Vietnam Stance Irks Veterans

AJC.com ^ | January 29, 2004 | Terry Garlock

[Wings-n-Wind]

Not for commercial use. Posted for education and discussion purposes only, under the fair use doctrine of U.S. copyright law.

([The author] was a Cobra helicopter pilot in Vietnam. He received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Distinguished Flying Cross. )

Now that U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is claiming the veteran vote based on his war record, both sides of that story should be told.

To appreciate the dark side of Kerry's war record, you should know a few things about Vietnam veterans.

The public and the press make a mistake when they divide us into decorated veterans like Kerry and then all the others.

We like to think of ourselves as brothers --- those who fought the enemy directly in combat and those who provided vital support in protected areas that were in many cases exposed to attack.

Even today, when two Vietnam veterans meet for the first time, they might say, "Welcome home, brother!" because many were never welcomed home. They met the cold shoulder of an ungrateful nation on their return.

Those of us whose job was combat feel an even deeper sense of brotherhood. We learned to trust our brothers on the ground, on the water and in the air to do the right things to protect one another, a bond that cannot be fully explained in words.

We quietly feared dying in battle, but there was something we feared even more. We knew if we should panic under fire and fail to do our job, we might lose our brothers' trust or we might lose their lives, and this we feared more than anything.

Like Kerry, I have a couple of medals, but who has what medal among combat veterans doesn't make a dime's worth of difference between us. What matters is that we are, for the rest of our life, brothers who kept faith with one another in a miserable war.

A young Kerry, however, broke faith with his brothers when he returned to the United States. With the financial aid of Jane Fonda, he led highly visible protests against the war. He wrote a book that many considered to be pro-Hanoi, titled "The New Soldier." The cover photo of his book depicted veterans in a mismatch of military uniforms mocking the legendary image of Marines raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi in the 1945 battle for Iwo Jima, holding the American flag upside down.

Kerry publicly supported Hanoi's position to use our POWs as a bargaining chip in negotiations for a peace agreement. Kerry threw what appeared to be his medals over a fence in front of the Capitol building in protest, on camera of course, but was caught in his lie years later when his medals turned up displayed on his office wall.

Many good and decent people opposed the Vietnam War. Many of us who fought it hated it, too. I know I did.

But like Fonda's infamous visit to Hanoi in 1972, Kerry's public actions encouraged our enemy at a time they were killing America's sons. Decades after the war was done, interviews with our former enemy's leaders confirmed that public protests in the United States, like Kerry's, played a significant role in their strategy.

Many of us wonder which of our brothers who died young would be alive today had people like Fonda and Kerry objected to the war in a more suitable way.

Now that it serves his ambition to be president, Kerry reminds the public of his war record daily. But the dark side of that record is not being told. Many Vietnam veterans have taken notice, and many of us will vigorously oppose Kerry's election to any office.

[Wings-n-Wind]

Did a search - Hope this isn't a duplicate post.
This is an excellent article by a local veteran. Well thought out and documented. Enjoy

[Asclepius]

... holding the American flag upside down ...

What an elegant statement of complete and utter contempt.

New soldier indeed.

[BenLurkin]

Message to Kerry:

[Coop]

Traitor

[backhoe]

Cross-link:

-John Kerry- some selected, informative links...--

[smith288]

Kerry's history in Vietnam is hardly stellar... His purple hearts were given to him and he classified his injuries as "walking injuries". The most he was out of action was two days.

His communist supported anti-war protests should be exposed to the public if he wins nomination.

[mystery-ak]

It breaks my heart every time I see a vet up on stage with Kerry....shame!

[epluribus_2]

There are 5 copies, including one signed of "The New Soldier" on ebay and - yikes - they are in the 100's and over a thousand. These books were "pulled" from shelves when Kerry ran for reelection at some point. How the hell does THAT happen. Lotsa books about W in Borders.

[GOP_Proud]

...but...but...he jumped in and saved a man's life. Surely that qualifies him for president...or demands that he be president. That guy is going to be at ever stump speech location. I'm already tired of hearing about it. My brother jumped in and saved a friend from drowning in the river wheb he was 13 years old. Maybe he should run for president.

[pabianice]

I served with over 600 squadron mates in two tours in Vietnam. Of that number, we had several who went UA and several others sent home because of mental problems with which they had arrived in country. Not one person went "crazy" because of his Vietnam service. I know of none who, upon returning home, joined such excreble groups as Vietnam Veterans Against the War. If you do nothing else, buy a copy of Burkett's "Stolen Valor," which shines a bright light upon that disgrace from my state, John Kerry.

Bums who went to Vietnam returned home and continued being bums. The press' desperate attempts to hide their own personal cowardice and selfishness (they almost to a man dodged the draft during the Vietnam War) will continue as an endless attack upon honorable Vietnam Vets. But that not withstanding, we now have a chance to relentlessly oppose the presidential bid of their "boy," John Kerry.

With your help, and the communications resources available in 2004, we can send this bum back to Massachusetts in the disgrace he so richly deserves.

[dfwgator]

A lot of good being a war hero (a real one) did Bob Dole.

[joesnuffy]

We quietly feared dying in battle, but there was something we feared even more. We knew if we should panic under fire and fail to do our job, we might lose our brothers' trust or we might lose their lives, and this we feared more than anything.

The truth....

Kerry broke that faith and continues to use his Vietnam experience and his bros to his own aggrandizement & selfish ends... to the detriment of the nation he once swore to defend against all enemies both foreign and domestic...

He has become exactly what he once swore to protect his country from...imo

[Tactical]

Not long ago, I had read an article about Kerry's association with Hanoi Jane. That did it for me. He was once just another liberal to me, but now well he associated himself with the enemy while other young Americans were being shot at.

I don't have a problem with someone speaking their mind or protesting something. That's part of what we are about. But I do have a problem with people using their part in a war,(that they hated and protested) to gain votes.

Liberals won't stop at anything to get their way.

[Wings-n-Wind]

Hey Coop...

On the cover... far left border with hands raised "holding" the flag...??
Isn't that the Ketchup boy... his own bad self?

Regards

[TheBigB]

You'll see that pic in a million commercials this Fall.

[mattdono]

I have a copy of this article in an HTML file ready for an emailing campaign. If you would like a copy, please FREEP Mail me a regular email address (note: I don't use email addresses for any other purposes than to send the file).

[Coop]

I certainly hope so.

[Muleteam1]

I keep hoping that Kerry's agrandizing of his supposed heroic actions in Vietnam will solidify the many conservatives who are angry at GWB for his obvious missteps in office. I was only a Vietnam-era veteran who spent four years state-side as an AF fighter jet crew chief, but I find it incredibly sad to see this MA leftist trying to drag America kicking and screaming back to the 1960s when he and others of his ilk caused the deaths of so many soldiers. It's like these thugs did not cause enough pain in the 1960s but they still want to rub salt in the wound they inflicted.

Muleteam1

[votelife]

one would think that picture would make Kerry unelectable. we shall see! Of course Kerry will say, "they're attacking my patriotism!"

[votelife]

one would think that picture would make Kerry unelectable. we shall see! Of course Kerry will say, "they're attacking my patriotism!"