Does anyone know EXACTLY what John Kerry's War Injuries are?

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I am constantly being questioned about John Kerry's war record.

I am unable to locate information on what injuries that John Kerry suffered. I have read that he was known as a 'walking wounded' but what happened to him? Is he carrying around shrapnel, broken bones, paper cut?

Also, does anyone know the exact length of time that he served in Vietnam. I heard it was 3-4 months.

Thank you.

[demlosers]

A scratch, a rash, and a bump.

[Afro_conservative]

I believe he was shot in the foot or something.

[evolved_rage]

He burned his lip on a joint.

[gorush]

I think I heard that he suffered a cranial-rectal inversion. That's just heresay though.

[passionfruit]

A Botox bomb blew up in his face. It was terrible...terrible.

[prion]

They always describe them as "light" wounds, but I'm not sure this is a really profitable path to go down. I mean, yes...a heavy wound is more impressive than a light one. But any wound proves somebody's shooting at you and darn close to getting you, and it takes something to perform well under those circumstances.

Even if that something isn't enough to make you a good president.

[Vermonter]

I do recall recently hearing him brag about his service as 'Officer of the Deck' on a Navy vessel during his service. He really made a big deal of it. Just about every officer on the ship takes a turn standing this watch. Not really something to brag about.

[LibKill]

He has no male parts.

Well that's what everyone says!

[RaceBannon]

http://www.usvetdsp.com/jf_kerry.htm

While in command of Swift Boat 44, Kerry and crew operated without prudence in a Free Fire Zone, carelessly firing at targets of opportunity racking up a number of enemy kills and some civilians. His body count included-- a woman, her baby, a 12 year-old boy, an elderly man and several South Vietnamese soldiers.

"It is one of those terrible things, and I'll never forget, ever, the sight of that child," Kerry later said about the dead baby. "But there was nothing that anybody could have done about it. It was the only instance of that happening."

Kerry said he was appalled that the Navy's ''free fire zone'' policy in Vietnam put civilians at such high risk.
Kerry experienced his first intense combat action on Dec. 2, 1968. He was slightly wounded on his arm, earning his first Purple Heart.

In late January 1969, Kerry joined a five-man crew on swift boat No. 94 completing 18 missions over 48 days, almost all of them in the Mekong Delta.
Kerry earned his second Purple Heart after sustaining a minor shrapnel wound in his left thigh on Feb. 20, 1969.

On February 28, 1969:
When Kerry's Patrol Craft Fast 94 received a B-40 rocket shot from shore, he hot dogged his craft beaching it in the center of the enemy position. To his surprise, an enemy soldier sprang up from a hole not ten feet from Patrol Craft 94 and fled.

The boat's machine gunner hit and wounded the fleeing Viet Cong as he darted behind a hootch. The twin .50s gunner fired at the Viet Cong. He said he "laid 50 rounds" into the hootch before Kerry leaped from the boat and dashed in to administer a "coup de grace" to the wounded Viet Cong. Kerry returned with the B-40 rocket and launcher.
Kerry was given a Silver Star for his actions.
Kerry and crew stand together in An Thoi, Vietnam, on February 28, 1969, after presentation of Kerry's Silver Star. He also received a Purple Heart for a minor wound. From left: Del Sandusky, John Kerry, Gene Thorson, Thomas Belodeau. Kneeling from left, Mike Medeiros, Fred Short.
On March 13, 1969, a mine detonated near Kerry's boat, slighting wounding Kerry in the right arm. He was awarded his third Purple Heart.

[dead]

I believe two of the Purple Hearts were for scratches that required first aid and no missed service time.

The third was a piece of shrapnel in the leg that took him out of service for two days.

It's way more than I did, or even what GWB did, but its not exactly Bob Dole.

[annyokie]

When later asked about the severity of the wounds, Kerry said that one of them cost him about two days of service, and that the other two did not interrupt his duty. "Walking wounded," as Kerry put it.

[AGreatPer]

Was he in the service? Gees. What a hero.

[RaceBannon]

For what it's worth, a 3 time wounded vet is likely to go home, regardless of what service he is in.

It means your time is running out. I am not against Kerry taking the trip home, I just wonder why he got all those slight wounds all the time!

They may be legit, and for 3, you went home. Can't blame him for that. He got out alive, and it seems his courage was never in question.

Just his later judgement.

[annyokie]

Hubby could still put in for his Purple Hearts, but refuses to do so for a busted lip (canopy exploded by VC) and "tattoos" on his backside and thigh from shrapnel from ground fire.

[ancient_geezer]

Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry

• Kerry experienced his first intense combat action on Dec. 2, 1968. He was slightly wounded on his arm, earning his first Purple Heart.

• Kerry earned his second Purple Heart after sustaining a minor shrapnel wound in his left thigh on Feb. 20, 1969.

• On March 13, 1969, a mine detonated near Kerry's boat, slighting wounding Kerry in the right arm. He was awarded his third Purple Heart.

Interesting website, has alot of info on Kerry's war record & activities afterwards.

[Badray]

"A scratch, a rash, and a bump."

That reminds me of a Johnny Carson "Carnac the Magnificent" answer.

[Joe 6-pack]

I'm not sure what his injuries were, but I'm pretty sure of the name of the doc that patched him up...

[Benrand]

He got shot in the chin by a low trajectory surface-to-air missile.