About Kerry's Purple Hearts And Reassignment

Boston Globe ^ | 6/16/2003 | Michael Kranish

[archy]

Have you gotten any straight skinny on what was behind the huge arms dump explosion in Iraq last week?.

Accident or Intentional?

Semper Fi

**********************************************

Nothing at all......sounds to me like a ADR op (ammo destruct request) where one man was in the crater priming in and the ones they found were departing the scene as something went south. Could'a been Army engineers or any service EOD team. Haven't heard anything offical.
SLB or Archy may have better data......

Stay Safe !

I haven't heard anything official or unofficial, though I understand that dump was very extensive- 100+ bunkers- and under the opcon of the Polish peacekeepeing force. Initial press reports indicated *more than 5* KIA, followups reported 20 or *around*- probably based on recovery of body parts.

I have no idea how Polish EOD procedures match or differ from ours, but they're looking at doing things the NATO way, and there is both official and unofficial info-sharing on methodology, both in Afghanistan and Iraq. But I suspect *bolo beans,* either set up by the Poles, US redfenders or snakeeater elements, or a leftover Iraqi boobytrap to discourage souvenier hunters.

Iraqis Killed in Munitions Dump Explosion

About 20 Iraqis were killed in an explosion at a munitions dump in Iraq today, a spokesman for Polish-led peacekeepers was quoted as saying.

The blast occurred after midnight about 112 miles south-west of Karbala in the desert when Iraqis broke into the storage site, military spokesman Colonel Robert Strzelecki told the Polish news agency PAP.

He said it was unclear what caused the blast. The dump, formerly used by Saddam Hussein’s army, consists of about 100 bunkers spread over a wide area and contains munitions such as artillery shells and rockets, the spokesman told PAP.

Peacekeepers saw the intruders entering the site on their ground radar screens but were unable to get to the location on time to stop them, Strzelecki said.

Poland staunchly supported the war in Iraq and commands a roughly 9,500-strong multinational force in the south-central region, including 2,400 Polish troops.

Staff Sgt Shawn Prather, 705th Explosive Ordnance Company, Fort
Polk, La, teaches a Polish and French EOD about some of his companies
equipment,which was on display here Thursday during an EOD convention.
[Bagram, Afghanistan]

A Polish Airborne EOD team tapes grenades and
prepares other munitions for shipment.

[archy]

Purple Hearts were handed out in an attempt to improve morale. When I was there we had a mess sargeant win a purple heart for "shell fragments in left eye". He got an egg shell fragment under his eye lid while preparing breakfast in the enlisted mens mess at Can Tho, an Army Air Base 90 miles south of Saigon!.

Not too shabby. I had one former First Sergeant who loved telling us the story of how he'd gotten his Purple Heart after diving into a ditch, getting cut on a broken beer bottle, and receiving treatment for his resulting wounds, which did require stitches and a tetanus shot.

He made no claims to heroism or valour, but noted it was a handy attaboy for promotion boards and for retention during times of RIFS. Of course if you nosed a little deeper, you might find out that he got that PH way back when he was a corporal, on December 7th, 1941, at Schofield Barracks near Pearl Harbor....

[Hon]

It might seem petty to try to find the truth about Kerry's military record. But you have got to realize the kind of propaganda his campaign is putting out about him in every conceivable media market.

For example, here is an excerpt from an article about Kerry in AMERICAN WINDSURFER magazine:

"Volume 5 Issue 5

A Windsurfer in the
WHITE HOUSE?

The Viet Cong snipers were regularly taking pot shots at his Navy gun boat known as a PCF - a Patrol Craft Fast or Swift Boat. The 25-year-old commander of PCF-94 was getting pretty fed up. He and his crew of six were part of an operation known as Sealords - the Navy's daring plan to penetrate the dangerous but vital waterways of the Mekong Delta. Like scenes from Francis Ford Copola's Apocalypse Now, the swift boats became prime targets for the ambush-minded Viet Cong lurking in the dense jungle lining the river banks. Quietly, John Kerry formulated a battle plan to confront the threat and waited for the right moment. Then one day, when Kerry was in command of a three boat raid, bullets came flying from mangroves on the side of the river. Kerry turned his swift boat 90s to the right and ordered the others to follow full speed into the heart of the ambush. He rammed his boat onto shore and with his crew, chased the enemy on foot until they were eliminated. A few moments later, while investigating gunfire a little further upstream, a rocket blast blew out all the windows in the mid part of the boat. Kerry beached again in the middle of the ambush and routed the enemy the second time. This strategy was a change from previous Swift boat engagements which had almost always resulted in a quick firefight and retreat. When news of the heroic deed (and that not a single man under Kerry's command was wounded) reached Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Commander of Naval Forces Vietnam, the Admiral put Kerry up for our country's second highest honor, the Navy Cross. "It was an act of bravery beyond the call of doctrine," said the now retired Admiral. But then, to impact moral, the Admiral decided to by-pass Washington's approval for the Navy Cross and flew immediately to the Delta where he awarded Kerry the Silver Star and decorated each of the men who participated in the raid. It was his act of personal respect for the leadership Kerry had exhibited."

http://www.americanwindsurfer.com/mag/back/issue5.5a.html

It's clear this came straight from the Kerry campaign. The windsurfers who read it have no idea how much of it is exaggerated or just made up.

[Hon]

"Let's make a deal. Kerry will release his military medical records when Rush releases his civilian medical records."

Let's make a deal. When Limbaugh runs for President we insist he make his medical records public.

[river rat]

"The blast occurred after midnight about 112 miles south-west of Karbala in the desert when Iraqis broke into the storage site,..."

Sounds like some wannabe Jihadists blew themselves up....perhaps met a trip wire or enchanted by some sucker bait...

Sounds like mostly potential Jihadists or thieves that were killed.....that's better than our folks..

Ruined their evening.....

Semper Fi

[hershey]

With the benefit of all that expensive cosmetic hard work, Kerry has gone from looking like Lurch to Frankenstein. Lovie should demand her money back.

[Mo1]

.Since he calls for a military investigation for Bush

I'd like to know just who Kerry thinks he is by calling for an investigation on anyone's military record?

[My Dog Likes Me]

Excellent point.

How 'bout them Pats??

[wtc911]

Read up a bit, LBJ was already in Congress and was the first member to put on a uniform, January 1942. Do not twist this as an endorsement, I know the full story of his one aborted flight Silver Star.

Whether or not anyone decides that going after Kerry as a deserter is out of bounds is nearly irrelevent, it's a non-starter. But, go ahead and spend all the time on it you want.

[wtc911]

Your analogy makes zero sense. No one is suggesting that we give Kerry a pass on anything. But, read things the way you like, as long as it makes you feel better.

[Travis McGee]

Bush flew F-104 "Widowmakers" for 2 years during the Cold War as well as the VN era. Something like 1/4 of these planes crashed due to their poor design, and MANY pilots were killed. So if "3 scratch Kerrey" is going to trumpet his awesome heroism and imply Bush was a "deserter" or AWOL, then he needs to get ready for back blast, both about his 3 scratch combat escape, and his admitted machine-gunning of women and children in the free fire zones.

[wtc911]

Let's bury this thing. I am no fan of Kerry's on any level. And, as I said, if anyone wants to spend energy on redefining his war record go right ahead. It is though a non-starter and sounds like a bunch of whining. We are better and can do better than that.

[jwalsh07]

Vetting the Vet by Mackubin Thomas Owens, Marine Infantry Platoon Leader, RVN

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Heartbreaking story, archy.

 

Spec 5 Dwight Johnson is remembered as a hero today.

 

Maybe he knows.

 

Maybe one or two of his loved ones followed his earlier example,

 

and maybe a few of his Detroit neighbors mourned, repented, taught their children to respect our returning warriors, and thanked the next hero who came home.

 

RIP. Y

[Travis McGee]

Thanks! That NRO story is worth a repost as a fresh thread, since it's so topical.

Matt

[texasflower]

Kerry will never have the courage to send us into battle, even when it is appropriate. I believe that we had to take care of Iraq.

I don't think Kerry would have even retaliated in Afghanistan.

He doesn't have the internal strength that George W. Bush has. We had to do what we did. Kerry wouldn't have acted.

We all wish that we never had to send anyone into battle, but sometimes there is no choice.

Thank God for George W. Bush and for all of the brave men and women serving.

[texasflower]

Yes, he did get three purple hearts, the Silver Star and a Bronze Star.

They also described his injuries as very minor.

I wish I had saved the article I had about a couple of soldiers that were injured early in the Iraq war. One had neck and pelvis injuries and one had a broken arm.

They did not accept evacuation. They hitch-hiked back to their unit.

Remember that?

I am not trying to minimize Kerry's service, but my goodness, he took the very first "out" he could in order to leave.

I really do not think he has a whole lot of right to criticize Bush for anything.

Bush may not have gone to Vietnam, but he did serve this country. And he served longer.

George Bush continues to serve.

That is a whole lot more than I can say about Kerry's Senate attendance.

(His shameful activities once he returned from Vietnam are sickening.)

[texasflower]

Thank you for your brave service.