Kerry has shrapnel in left thigh from Vietnam War injury

AP ^ | 4/24/4 | NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

[SF Republican]

John Kerry has a piece of shrapnel in his left thigh from an injury he suffered in the Vietnam War, his doctor said Friday during a review of 36 pages of the Democratic presidential candidate's military medical records.

[Conservababe]

Don't let the door his your arse as you leave the Republican Party.

Oh and by the way, who is the Independent candidate this election? Have you heard of anyone other than Nader?

LOL

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

Rotfl

You are right I didnt serve. I was a young girl then.

[Chad Fairbanks]

In a few years, people around here will probably be mocking the wounds and service of soldiers serving in the present war, when those soldiers have politcal views which difer from those of the peanut gallery.

Not everyone is mocking - in fact, most are not. Many of us just have questions about when and where Kerry was in Vietnam, and whether he actually did half the things he claims he did.

For example, abandoning his post to go kill a wounded VC that could barely flee, let alone fight back. For that he get's a Silver Star. I want to know why.

I want to know why he get's a Purple Heart after having ointment put on a scratch, not even treated by a medical officer, right around the same time my father was getting one in Chu Lai, in the 1st Air Cav, with serious shrapnel wounds on his face and neck, then contracting malaria while in the hospital after having large chunks of metal removed from his face...

I want to know why he is claiming involvement in combat events that were actually the work of another man (Edward Peck, the guy he replaced on PCF-94)...

I want to know what made him so special that he got out after 4 months of a one year hitch, when the only others who seemed to do that were people who were no longer able to fight due to debilitating wounds...

But hey, if you feel that is "mocking" his "wounds", and makes me likely to mock the wounds of others, then feel free to kiss my rosy red ass.

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

You are refreshing, Destro. I thnk I like you. ;)

[Miss Marple]

I will respond to both of you. President Bush has not one time ever criticized Kerry's military service.

Kerry chose to open this can of worms by attacking Bush and inferring he was AWOL. Bush released all of his records. He was honorably discharged and fulfilled the terms of his commitment. There was some risk involved in his service, as he was flying a very difficult plane which had a high crash incidence.

Kerry didn't race out to enlist; he was no Pat Tillman. He enlisted in the Navy only after being told that he couldn't get a deferment to study in France.

Only through a change in the deployment of the swift boats did he wind up in combat. Once he was in combat, he got three Purple Hearts VERY quickly and unlike the Marines I see with Ollie North every day, he did NOT choose to stay in Viet Nam, but opted to go home after 4 months.

Now, I am not denigrating his service. It was admirable, along with many millions of others.

But he has chosen to place himself in a position of superiority to all of those who served in other theaters. At the time John Kerry was in Viet Nam, my husband was serving as Russian linguist in West Berlin. His service was just as necessary to the security of this nation. Is Kerry superior to my husband? I don't think so.

In addition, Kerry's testimony before Congress was shameful. I don't care how demoralized he was with the war, smearing the reputation of an entire generation of servicemen was despicable; it was also fraudulent and self-serving.

[Conservababe]

By mocking the injuries of a veteran who received them in the service of his country, you show yourself to be a woman of dishonor, who places crass political opportunism above nobility,wisdom and prudence.

My brother did get a slight wound while in a combat zone. He did not get a purple heart as he did not consider a paper cut a real wound.

I am laughing so hard.

[Destro]

Who said I will not vote for Bush? I just don't want to associate with your kind any longer. Being independent does not mean you vote for independent candidates. Have fun in the Clintonian Republican party.

Martin Luther still worshipped Christ when he left the Catholic Church.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Martin Luther still worshipped Christ when he left the Catholic Church.

Yeah, but just like with him, you can pound on the door all you want - doesn't mean we are gonna listen ;0)

[Destro]

Kerry's record is "superior" to Bush and Cheney's combined.

I have no problem with his post Vietnam life being torn apart.

What I am seeing here is "conservatives" denigrate Kerry's service. Wooo paper cut wound - he got a medal for saving someone's life??? He does not deserve that! etc. This from so called Republicans? Did I land on Bizzarro world?

[The Green Goblin]

My brother did get a slight wound while in a combat zone.

Then I sincerely hope that his politcal views never differ from yours and the peanut gallery around here, so you people won't make jokes about his injuries like you're doing to Kerry on this thread.

[Destro]

I am glad I am not alone.

[Chad Fairbanks]

So, I probably shouldn't say something like "The reason I'm so ugly is that my father got shot in the face in Vietnam" right?

[Conservababe]

I denigrate his service, because he brought it out as a campaign issue. If you cannot deal with politics...just hide under the porch until this is over.

[Texasforever]

At least he SERVED. Bush did not. I am not a Kerry fan, but this is ridiculous.

Tell me, why is Kerry the ONLY one of his crew to be awarded medals? He pulled a guy out of the water. Big deal...was his crew hiding while he did this? He chased a guy down who had already been wounded by a 50 Cal round. What about the crew he left in the open on the beach? What was the crew doing that time? Were they once again cowering on the deck? It seems to me that Kerry used his crew and then took the glory.

[The Green Goblin]

Not everyone is mocking - in fact, most are not.

Go back and read this thread in its entirity, man. This place is filled with dung-flinging cretins.

[kilowhskey]

"You are right I didnt serve. I was a young girl then."

Sometime beginning at your eighteenth birthday, you had the opportunity. My Mom served in the Navy during WWII. Lots of young girls have served through the years. I do not question your inability to serve during the VN conflict. What I question is your assertion that those who were on active duty but not in VN did not serve.

[Chad Fairbanks]

This place is filled with dung-flinging cretins.

On both sides of the issue, apparently. I mean "Bush didn't serve"? That is dung-flinging, too...

[Conservababe]

My Mom did also, in WWII.

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

1) Bush's avoidance of service in the Viet Nam War was brought to the forum long before Kerry came into the picture. 2) Kerry is using all he has to offer that he thinks might benefit his campaign. What is new there... 3) Kerry's statements to Congress back in '71 were RIGHT IN LINE with the thinking, the concerns, and popular, counter-culture opinion of the times. He spoke for an entire generation with his words back then, who thought that young American men's lives were being ruined and/or destroyed for a futile cause. The counter culture was trying to SAVE these men--not denigrate them. Many veterans were forced into service, and many of them, and others who were NOT forced, but whose minds were changed after serving, looked at Kerry as their spokesperson. It is easy now to say what he did was self serving...now that he is running for office. As I said, I am not a Kerry fan, but I do not believe his appearance before Congress back then was self serving.

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

The war was over before I was 18.