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Ensign Kerry's Executive Officer: Kerry Hurt Morale, Aided Enemy, Affected Outcome of War
Naval Institute Proceedings | July 2004 | Captain James F. Kelly, U.S. Navy (Retired)

Posted on 07/28/2004 8:00:47 PM PDT by Doctor Raoul

Below is a letter to the editor of the US Naval Institute Proceedings from the Executive Officer of the USS Gridley in response to an interview with Kerry’s biographer (Douglas Brinkley) in the May issue.

I have BOLDED certain areas for your review and consideration.

Their website is http://www.navalinstitute.org but this letter is not on the web.

“Interview: Douglas Brinkley”
(See p. 56, May 2004 Proceedings)

Captain James F. Kelly, U.S. Navy (Retired)---Every candidate for public office probably has some excess baggage to carry that he’d rather not have. With Senator John Kerry, it’s undoubtedly his anti-Vietnam War activism that followed his heroic naval service in Vietnam.

John Kerry and I were shipmates in the guided missile cruiser USS Gridley (CG-21) in 1967 and 1968. He served as first lieutenant, the office in charge of the deck division, and I was executive officer. I remember him as a serious and intelligent young ensign, seemingly mature beyond his years. The skipper and I were mightily impressed with him in spite of his inexperience. He had excellent verbal skills and great poise so we assigned him a collateral duty as public affairs officer. Because of these duties and his basic responsibilities for seamanship evolutions and the overall external appearance of the ship, I had close, daily contact with him. (In other words, I would be all over his case if the ship wasn’t shipshape.) Turns out he didn’t need too much supervision in that regard. He was a fine division officer, and his men obviously respected him.

We deployed from San Diego to the Vietnam theater in early 1968 after only a six-month turnaround, and spent most of a four-month deployment on rescue station in the Gulf of Tonkin, standing by to pick up downed aviators. It was a fairly grueling tour of duty. Our helicopter was hit trying to rescue a downed pilot and the door gunner was killed. The crew performed well, and John Kerry’s performance in all aspects of his duty was outstanding. Drafting his fitness report was an exercise in the use of superlatives. In fact, of the 30 or so officers, I counted him in the top half dozen, no mean feat for an ensign.

I tried to interest him in a naval career. Silly me! It was obvious he had bigger fish to fry. I drafted the favorable endorsement on his request for swift boat duty on the rivers of Vietnam, where he distinguished himself in combat. Before he left, he gave me his bridge coat and several other uniform items, saying that he wouldn’t be needing them in the “brown water” Navy. Aside from a Christmas card and an aborted phone call, I didn’t hear further from John until I read about his antiwar antics, including his appearance with Jane Fonda and the famous episode of throwing medals onto the steps of the Capitol during a protest. While he was protesting against the war, many of us were still fighting in it. Many of us felt betrayed that one of our own, a decorated hero, would give comfort to the enemy by such actions. Think what you want about the wisdom of getting involved in that war. Two presidents, both Democrats, committed the armed forces they commanded to fight it. Make no mistake: actions by people such as Fonda and Kerry were damaging to our morale, gave aid and comfort to the forces we were fighting, and altered the eventual outcome in a manner less favorable to the United States than if they had kept their mouths shut.

The time for antiwar protests is before the war starts.



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: kerry; morale
This man was the Executive Officer of the USS Gridley while Kerry was there for 7 months.

Alan Colmes was given the Kool Aid flavored talking points that Kerry had TWO tours in Vietnam for a total of ELEVEN months. That would suggest the Gridley was on station for seven months when a WESTPAC cruise was six months total, including the transit time to and from station.

When you look at the Kerry campaign website, they give:

a date when they left port for Vietnam
a date they left station back to the US
a date when they arrived back in the US.
Assuming (reasonably) that the transit out was the same duration as the transit back, the Gridley was on station 82 days, not 7 months (210 days). And that 82 days does not include the time spent during port vists to Subic Bay and Wellington, New Zealand.
1 posted on 07/28/2004 8:00:51 PM PDT by Doctor Raoul
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To: Doctor Raoul
While he was protesting against the war, many of us were still fighting in it. Many of us felt betrayed that one of our own, a decorated hero, would give comfort to the enemy by such actions.
2 posted on 07/28/2004 8:01:55 PM PDT by Doctor Raoul (KERRY IS A POODLE: #1 He's French, #2 He's A Rich Woman's Pet, #3 He Won't Protect You)
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To: Doctor Raoul

OMG - ABC news is actually reporting on vets against Kerry!


3 posted on 07/28/2004 8:13:07 PM PDT by Graymatter (Countdown---97 more days.)
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To: Doctor Raoul

Doctor Raoul it is an honor to write to such a great person as you. I think it was great that you confronted Kerrey for the purpose of truth. I know that some say that it crossed the line but I think sometimes fire must be fought with fire. I do hope soon that the truth of Kerry being a traitor will be confronted directly to him also.


4 posted on 07/28/2004 8:17:15 PM PDT by tobyhill (The war on terrorism is not for the weak!)
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To: Doctor Raoul; MeekOneGOP

Dubya bump


5 posted on 07/28/2004 8:19:40 PM PDT by GailA ( hanoi john, I'm for the death penalty for terrorist, before I impose a moratorium on it.)
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To: tobyhill

Thanks for the praise, but it's nothing that a lot of other Freepers haven't done already. Being here in a "target rich environment", I just get more opportunities to engage the hypocrites as they cruise by.


6 posted on 07/28/2004 8:29:20 PM PDT by Doctor Raoul (KERRY IS A POODLE: #1 He's French, #2 He's A Rich Woman's Pet, #3 He Won't Protect You)
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To: Doctor Raoul
I want to see a reporting of the millions of lives lost in Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos.......as a result of our cutting and running from the mission.

The number of people sent to re-education camps, the systematic murdering of all the intellectuals in those countries.

7 posted on 07/28/2004 8:48:30 PM PDT by OldFriend (IF YOU CAN READ THIS, THANK A TEACHER.......AND SINCE IT'S IN ENGLISH, THANK A SOLDIER)
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To: Doctor Raoul

Aidd the enemy. Now, the enemy is aiding Kerry.


8 posted on 07/28/2004 9:21:14 PM PDT by Waco
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To: Doctor Raoul
The time for antiwar protests is before the war starts.

'Nuff said.

9 posted on 07/28/2004 9:47:07 PM PDT by T. Buzzard Trueblood ("My theory of the Cold War is that we win and they lose." Ronald Reagan, 1977)
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To: GailA; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub


From the article:

Aside from a Christmas card and an aborted phone call, I didn’t hear further from John until I read about his antiwar antics, including his appearance with Jane Fonda and the famous episode of throwing medals onto the steps of the Capitol during a protest. While he was protesting against the war, many of us were still fighting in it. Many of us felt betrayed that one of our own, a decorated hero, would give comfort to the enemy by such actions. Think what you want about the wisdom of getting involved in that war. Two presidents, both Democrats, committed the armed forces they commanded to fight it. Make no mistake: actions by people such as Fonda and Kerry were damaging to our morale, gave aid and comfort to the forces we were fighting, and altered the eventual outcome in a manner less favorable to the United States than if they had kept their mouths shut.


Excellent anti-Kerry video laying out the VietNam case against him...

Great to forward and spread to the public.

http://www.stopjohn.com/movies/hanoi-john.htm


Kerry Fitness Reports in Vietnam Show Him Unfit for Command
(Explodes Central Kerry Campaign Lie)

Kerry’s FITREPs are awash in dings, and some of the reports border on the adverse, particularly his combat FITREPs. The FITREPs convey significant performance problems and suggest problems in conduct, so much so that it is surprising that the campaign chose to release them. This may suggest that the FITREPs held from public view are even more adverse.

In what would customarily be an opportunity for a glowing “swan song” FITREP, the Commanding Officer of USS Gridley (DLG-21) tacitly blasts Kerry on his departure for Swift Boat duty by ranking him significantly below the norm in desirability for virtually every Navy assignment possible -– command, staff, whatever. He is a ship handler who is dinged in ship handling. He is in line for command, but his CO doesn’t want him near the bridge. He is slammed in all performance areas –- most notably and significantly in initiative and reliability. The “nice” narrative emphasizes performance in collateral duties, but in the grades and marks, the CO is telling the selection board and detailer loud and clear that this officer is lazy, unreliable and not suited for command. 3 SEP 68 (W.E. HARPER).





10 posted on 07/29/2004 2:59:19 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: MeekOneGOP

I love that picture with all the Non-Supporters outlined.


11 posted on 07/29/2004 5:32:36 PM PDT by Doctor Raoul (KERRY IS A POODLE: #1 He's French, #2 He's A Rich Woman's Pet, #3 He Won't Protect You)
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To: Doctor Raoul
Oh, yeah. A great pic, alright. Whoever made it did a good job.

12 posted on 07/29/2004 6:13:02 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: Doctor Raoul
Most excellent post. Thank you.

Hey, long time no see. That has got to stop.

I missed Kerry here in Harrisburg last night, had to work (the few times that I do). But the PA RNC did a nice job. They even got some nice press locally.

Off subject but interisting:
Tony, my neighbor reporter from KYW, just got back from Boston. He was furious saying the Democrats are the most disgusting people when it comes to providing courtesies for the mid and small press. He said, "so much for the Dems being for the little people". KYW is not exactly chopped meat.

13 posted on 07/31/2004 10:34:36 AM PDT by AGreatPer (Kerry Sucks Lemons and Looks Like It)
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To: Doctor Raoul
Ensign Kerry's Executive Officer: Kerry Hurt Morale, Aided Enemy, Affected Outcome of War

NO KIDDING.
I was a junior high school boy at that time...and I know from just being
modestly aware of politics...that Kerry et al were "agents of demoralization"
if not traitors.
14 posted on 07/31/2004 10:38:39 AM PDT by VOA
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To: AGreatPer
THe DNC had the press using Porta-Pottys. At least the RNC provided those trailer units. Those are no worse that having to use a restroom in a public place. They flush, have sinks and running water.

Yeah, I'd be pissed if I were the media, but the liberal media just sucked it up and went back to sucking liberals.

15 posted on 07/31/2004 11:29:20 AM PDT by Doctor Raoul (KERRY IS A POODLE: #1 He's French, #2 He's A Rich Woman's Pet, #3 He Won't Protect You)
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To: Doctor Raoul
"but the liberal media just sucked it up and went back to sucking liberals."

Exactly!!!!! You are so right on.

The guy goes back to work tomorrow at the Capitol just to face the same carp over and over.

I don't like my neighbor, but I have to if I want to live next to him.

The guy is such a hippo. Complains then goes back and sucks up more bs and loves it. Hey, he's making a living sucking up. Sure sounds like about 80% of the population.

16 posted on 08/01/2004 4:43:05 PM PDT by AGreatPer (Kerry Sucks Lemons and Looks Like It)
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