Listen to Those Who Served with Kerry in Vietnam

Human Events Online ^ | 7/30/04 | Chris Field

[Nasty McPhilthy]

John Kerry and the rest of the Democratic Party are promoting Kerry's Vietnam "war hero" status as a major -- if not the major -- reason for Americans to support his candidacy for the White House.

In fact, his running mate, Sen. John Edwards, said, "To really understand John Kerry, you have to listen to those who served with him in Vietnam."

We decided to heed Sen. Edwards' advice and found what approximately 200 of Kerry's fellow "Swifties" think of him, including Rear Admiral Roy F. Hoffman, USN (Retired). Admiral Hoffman said this of the liberal Massachusetts Senator:

"I do not believe John Kerry is fit to be commander in chief of the armed forces of the United States. This is not a political issue. It is a matter of his judgment, truthfulness, reliability, loyalty, and trust -- all absolute tenets of command."

Admiral Hoffman, along with Captain Charley Plumbly, USN (ret.), Alvin A. Horne, Bill Lannom, John O'Neill, Way Symmes, William E. Franke, and about 200 other "Swifties" were signatories of an open letter to Sen. Kerry, which is sourced in a yet-to-be-released book -- Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry.

This letter states, in part: "It is our collective judgment that, upon your return from Vietnam, you grossly and knowingly distorted the conduct of the American soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen of that war (including a betrayal of may of us, without regard for the danger you actions caused us). Further, we believe that you have withheld and/or distorted material facts as to your own conduct of the war.

"We believe you continue this conduct today, albeit by changing from an anti-war to a 'war hero' status. You now seek to clad yourself in the very medals that you disdainfully threw away in the early years of your political career. In the process, we believe you continue a deception as to your own conduct through such tactics as the disclosure of only carefully screened portions of your military records. Both then and now, we have concluded that you have deceived the public, and in the process have betrayed honorable men, to further your personal political goals.

"You conduct is such as to raise substantive concerns as to your honesty and your ability to serve, as you currently seek, as Commander-in-Chief of the military services. [...]

"Senator Kerry, we were there. We know the truth. We have been silent long enough. The stakes are too great, not only for America in general but, most importantly, for those who have followed us into service in Iraq and Afghanistan. We call upon you to provide a full, accurate accounting of your conduct in Vietnam." Sen. Edwards, we've listened to what "those who served with him in Vietnam" think of John Kerry, and now we believe we do "really understand" him. Care to revise and extend your remarks?

Sen. Kerry, will you honor the request of your fellow Vietnam Swift Boat Veterans and release you "complete and unaltered" military records, allowing the American people to be fully informed of your military service? Chris Field is Editor of Human Events Online. He can be contacted at Chris.Field@HumanEventsOnline.com

[NonValueAdded]

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[ravingnutter]

Related article (excerpted):

Thomas Wright was one of John F. Kerry's fellow Swift boat officers in Vietnam. Since Wright outranked Kerry, he was Kerry's sometime boat group Officer-in-Charge, so Wright had occasion to observe Kerry’s behavior and attitudes, and the circumstances surrounding his early departure from the war zone. The intervening years have not dimmed his memories.

“I had a lot of trouble getting him to follow orders,” recalls Wright. “He had a different view of leadership and operations. Those of us with direct experience working with Kerry found him difficult and oriented towards his personal, rather than unit goals and objectives. I believed that overall responsibility rested squarely on the shoulders of the OIC or OTC in a free-fire zone. You had to be right (before opening fire). Kerry seemed to believe there were no rules in a free-fire zone and you were supposed to kill anyone. I didn’t see it that way.”

It got to a point where Wright told his divisional commander he no longer wanted Kerry in his boat group, so he was re-assigned to another one. “I had an idea of his actions but didn’t have to be responsible for him.” Then Wright and like-minded boat officers took matters into their own hands. “When he got his third Purple Heart, three of us told him to leave. We knew how the system worked and we didn’t want him in Coastal Division 11. Kerry didn’t manipulate the system, we did.”

Call sign: Boston strangler

[wayoverontheright]

One of these patriots was interviewed on Friday by Laura Ingraham on her radio show. When asked how it could be that 12 swifty vets are supporting Kerry, (these are the ones who appeared with him at the convention) he said "they were paid".

My question to anyone who may have knowledge is if it could be ascertained as to how much these people were paid? It's certainly information the American people have a right to know.

[SAR]

I'm sure this will get deleted, this site only wants us to tow the line. Maybe I'm too realistic, but I find it a little unbelievable that 200 guys remember Kerry enough to make a credible charge against him, but no one remembers President Bush reporting for duty. I think we should lay off this issue, it's not going to fly with non-partisans, and it's going to wind up shifting the focus back on the President's service record. JMHO.

[listenhillary]

Unfit for Command, John E. O'Neill Amazon.com Sales Rank: 6

[TexasCajun]

CNN did a piece over the weekend, showing John O'Neil kicking Kerry's butt in their debate(s) and interviews.

CNN couldn't produce any legislative achievements but they did try to turn a Liberal Anti-War Protestor into a War Hero!

[Blessed]

Their have been several people that have said they served with Bush.Just because you haven't read the accounts does not make it so.

[hh007]

I believe you are a disinformation artist and/or agent provocateur.

[wayoverontheright]

We knew how the system worked and we didn’t want him in Coastal Division 11. Kerry didn’t manipulate the system, we did.”

Wow, that may explain how the guy ended up with three purple hearts in four months and NOT ONE SCAR. These people approved at least one of them in order to get rid of him.

[listenhillary]

Maybe the people that served with Bush don't have any reason to write a book to point out Bush's lies to the people? Because he didn't lie?

Maybe because Bush wasn't pissing on his fellow service members to become a leading whore for the communist inspired anti-war movement?

Could be, Could be

[maeng]

Mike Gallagher did an extensive interview Friday afternoon. It was super!!! The Vet gave dates of service with Kerry, boat numbers, dates of battles, etc. Said Kerry was in Nam only to take movies and then head back to U.S.

[listenhillary]

These Swift boat Veteran articles must be hitting home to these nut cases. They're trying to talk us out of publicizing this.

I'll stop bring it up just as soon as Dan Blather leads the nightly news with the swift boat veterans story.

[17th Miss Regt]

Kerry served in Vietnam? Wow! Has anyone else heard this?

[gunnygail]

After 21 years in the Corps, I can STILL remember the idiots that I knew as a PVT/PFC and exactly how dorked up they were...and why. Things get burned into your memory, especially when you have to rely on someone who's daddy should have rolled over and shot him out of the window.

[ravingnutter]

Wow, that may explain how the guy ended up with three purple hearts in four months and NOT ONE SCAR. These people approved at least one of them in order to get rid of him.

Yup...that is the way I read it too.

[fella]

Actually a large number of people do remember Bush doing his duty and his complete record unlike Kerry's is out there for review. The fact that the mainstream media has not reported on the people who served with The President just points out their bias. By the way Bush's' active duty pilot training was longer than Kerry's entire service time and a lot of people die during pilot training.

[Nasty McPhilthy]

Does this mean you're throwing down your glove?

" this site only wants us to tow the line "

Really?

[North Coast Conservative]

Working in conjunction with KerryLied we now have t-shirts available that have the logo of KerryLied on them:

We are making NO money on these and are selling LG and XLG for $12.50, XXLG for $15.00. If you want front and back it is $2:50 more.WE WANT TO GET THE WORD OUT!!!!

It is my interntion on wearing this shirt to all of the local community field days that are in my area in Lake County, Ohio, and pass out business cards for the 12Sep04 KerryLied event in Washington where we will tell the world the John Kerry lied in front of Congress when he called us War Criminals, Baby Killers, Torturers, etc.

Pls visit:

Link to KerryLied

Link to Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry

to get the inside scoop of the Vietnam Veterans' beef with John Kerry.

In God We Trust…..Semper Fi!

[NeoCaveman]

Great minds think alike. That is already my tagline.