B.G. Burkett: Navy Commanders to Cast Doubt on Kerry's War Record

NewsMax.com ^ | 4/04/04 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

B.G. Burkett: Navy Commanders to Cast Doubt on Kerry's War Record

Several Navy officers who supervised Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry when he commanded a swift boat in Vietnam are preparing to publicly question his war record - including the circumstances under which he was awarded three Purple Hearts - a noted Vietnam War historian revealed on Sunday.

Burkett, whose 1999 book, "Stolen Valor," is considered to be the definitive history of of falsified Vietnam War claims, told WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg that Kerry's former commanders would allege that the top Democrat's Purple Hearts were awarded for "self-reported injuries that were virtually nonexistent."

"He never got a day of treatment, he never spent a day in a medical facility," Burkett said. "These were all self-reported wounds, which you're going to hear from some swift boat guys in the future as to the nature of those wounds."

Burkett said he had personally spoken to the Navy commanders who were preparing to go public about Kerry's decorations.

"You're going to get quite a showing [of those speaking out]," Burkett told Malzberg. "I don't know [the number] yet. They're trying to get it to be unanimous of every swift boat guy who ever served."

As to the timetable for the upcoming revelations, Burkett said that Kerry's superior officers "were still discussing that."

"You've got some major rallys being planned against John Kerry by Vietnam veterans on the mall, at the convention - this type of thing," he said. "And we're going to make America aware of John Kerry's military record."

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[capt. norm]

Looks like they're going to have to do a "Torricelli" on Kerry.

Remember how quickly the Dems replaced Torricelli in the senatorial race in New Jersey at the last minute because he was losing in the polling. In any normal state, this last minute switch would have been overturned as being illegal, but not in liberal-controlled New Jersey.

It would be interesting to see how they pull this off once they are finally convinced that Kerry is unelectable.

This is quite a reversal because being electable was Kerry's only selling point when the wheels fell off the Howard Dean campaign.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Le Bump for the French cheese eating Senator from Bordeaux

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[FR_addict]

All I know is he lied about the soldiers serving in Vietnam after he got out saying that most were committing war crimes on a routine basis. It turns out he met with a North Vietnamese delegation in France after lying about it.

If there was a way to figure out how to receive Purple Hearts for phony wounds, I believe he would have done it.
It's been reported that he said he missed two days of service for the three wounds.

Let's wait and see if this story has legs. There is some reason he won't release his military records.

[ASA Vet]

It would be interesting to see how they pull this off
once they are finally convinced that Kerry is unelectable

The commiecRATs never thought he was electable.
He's merely their "throw away" who's just marking time.
The real candidate will step in to "save the party" in a few months.

The short introduction at the commiecRAT convention:

"All hail Hillary Rodham our saviour."

[ought-six]

"I'll believe it when it actually happens. Remember the "revelations" about Kerry's girlfriend? Ended up coming to nought. I hope there's a real story here."

There are way too many sources and witnesses to the allegations that Kerry trumped up his "war wounds" for the matter to be rumor.

[RippleFire]

bump

[Our man in washington]

Before someone criticizes John Kerry, they themselves should imagine what it's like to live through the kinds of wounds he received.

To those doing the criticizing, let me ask you directly: have you ever suffered through the agony a paper cut? Can you imagine looking at what once was solid skin on your finger and now seeing a drop of blood? Those who haven't had this experience shouldn't be so quick to judge.

Such wounds have been known to cause pain for most of an hour. And the treatment is not for the faint of heart: because of the location of the wound, the band-aid often has to encircle the entire finger. Things most of us take for granted become impossible.

Try going for an hour not being able to examine all ten of your nails at the same time. Pretty tough, right? You were probably wondering if the hour was ever going to end. Now, imagine having to live through that for most of a single day.

John Kerry suffered that wound so that we might live in freedom. Let us take a moment to remember and thank him for his service.

And don't get me started on the shaving nicks he suffered. We all need to be more sensitive!

[ought-six]

"But will the real story really make into the public spotlight?"

It's easy to address this issue: All Kerry has to do is release his military medical records. But he steadfastly refuses to do that. That's a big red flag.

[ought-six]

Former Senator BOB KerrEy of Nebraska was a Navy Seal in Vietnam, and he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. However, a couple years ago it came to light that one of the operations he was engaged in involved the killing of unarmed civilians, which put a cloud over his service. I have respect for BOB KerrEy, although I don't agree with many of his political positions. For JOHN Kerry, however, I have nothing but contempt.

[capt. norm]

You're right.

I've been in denial, trying to see it every other possible way, but yours is the only scenario that holds up under scrutiny.

I can't help but think that the Clinton henchmen are periodically leaking things to damage Kerry in a controlled manner. If his polling numbers rise too much, something suddenly leaks out and brings them down,

They must be sitting on tons of damaging info on him, waiting for the timimg to be just right for their purpose.

[ought-six]

"It would be interesting to see how they pull this off once they are finally convinced that Kerry is unelectable."

Easy, at the Dim convention delegates with withhold or abstain on the first round, thus relieving them of any obligations in the second round. Hillary will likely be "drafted" in the second round.

[finnigan2]

Your comments are informative and suggest that if Kerry was in fact running some sort of, "get home quick" scam by using the rule that three Purple Hearts got you out of theatre, then there would have had to have been collusion with another officer (presumably a medic) to get the paperwork rolling.
I suppose the only way to know for sure is to examine the original documentation to see just who initiated Kerry's medal recommendations.
Somehow, I sense that if this were a scam, it will turn out to be bigger than just Kerry. It may have involved a small group of officers and men, all devoted to helping each other get out of Vietnam ASAP -ie.; I'll sign your papers if you'll sign mine. Such a thing would be impossible in a large unit, but in a small relatively independent group with minimal supervision it might be conceivable. Then again, maybe I've watched too many episodes of MASH.

[findingtruth]

I was over there myself, and I never heard of any Purple Hearts for phony wounds, but I have heard of some for minor wounds -- wounds which most people would have shrugged off. The problem is that any injury, even a minor one, if caused by enemy action, made you eligible for a Purple Heart.

Kerry's Silver Star I'm not sure about. It seems pretty excessive for chasing and shooting a VC who was trying to escape.

[wingman1]

Kerry's actions after his return from RVN contributed to the public perception that soldiers who served in RVN were baby killers.

Using that same logic, would it be a stretch to say that other soldiers, who received medals, may also be judged by the same (Kerry) standard, if his awards prove to fraudulant?

I believe so.

That is what makes me hope that if there is some type of search done, that it shows Kerry did legitimately earn these awards.

Sorry, but this may backfire and earn Kerry sympathy that will translate into votes in his column.

[G L Tirebiter]

There's a Bill Mauldin "Willie & Joe" cartoon in Upfront. (Can't find a copy on the internet.)

Two GI's are at an aid station talking to a medical officer type.

One GI is saying, "Naw, I already got a Purple Heart. Just gimme a couple of asprin."

[wingman1]

Clarification: I DON'T think it would be a stretch.

[proud American in Canada]

"To those doing the criticizing, let me ask you directly: have you ever suffered through the agony a paper cut?"

Oh, the humanity! Thanks for putting it all into perspective. ;) LOL!

[samtheman]

There are way too many sources and witnesses to the allegations that Kerry trumped up his "war wounds" for the matter to be rumor.

A major turning-point for this story will be if and when it makes it on to Fox News. They don't have liberal bias, so they'll report it as soon as they believe it. The fact that they're not reporting it yet, causes me to throttle back on my enthusiasm for this.

Believe me, if this story gains momentum (which it must if all those sources and witnesses are really there) then I will be cheering it up bigtime.

[PJ-Comix]

I would have given Kerry a pass on his war record but not only did he never shut up about it but let questions concerning the President's Vietnam era service go forward.

Never has a candidate tried to make more hay out of a war record than Kerry. And yet Bob Dole who was horribly wounded in WWII rarely made mention of it during the '96 campaign.