I could use some real proof to help me refute the lefties I debate with who are constantly telling me that he served two years. Where they get that number, I don't know, and they don't have any verification either. It would be good to get some evidence to support my claim. Can anyone point me to any good sources?
Thanks,
I don't have a good source for you, but I'm fairly sure that sometime in the last week I saw on Fox News that he arrived in VN in October or November of '68 and departed in March of '69. Perhaps a search with that little bit of info will yield more.
try here http://www.swiftvets.com
"My name is Steve Gardner. I served in 1966 and 1967 on my first tour of duty in Vietnam on Swift boats, and I did my second tour in '68 and '69, involved with John Kerry in the last 2 1/2 months of my tour. The John Kerry that I know is not the John Kerry that everybody else is portraying. I served alongside him and behind him, five feet away from him in a gun tub, and watched as he made indecisive moves with our boat, put our boats in jeopardy, put our crews in jeopardy... if a man like that can't handle that 6-man crew boat, how can you expect him to be our Commander-in-Chief?"
-- Steven Gardner
The above quote was from a press conference given at the National Press Club in Washington on May 4, 2004. You may view Steven’s comments at the following web site. Just scroll down to Steven’s picture and click on it.
http://www.swiftvets.com/index.php?topic=SwiftVetQuotes
Searching through that web site, you will find 250 men who served on Swift boats, including the entire chain of command above Lt. Kerry, agree with Steven Gardner that Kerry is not fit to be Commander-in-Chief. That compares to the 13 crew members who support his candidacy.
No offense ok, but you haven't searched hard enough. There's only about a gazillion threads in the FR archives and almost every major newspaper - all with the facts you seek.
Ergo, let your fingers do the walking.
His service in Vietnam on the swift boats was Dec 2 1968 to March 17 1969, according to the bio on johnkerry.com, the campaign website. That is 3 1/2 months. He was in the Navy for a total of 4 years.
All I know is that if shooting villagers livestock and pets, burning down their homes and shooting at civillians makes one a better CIC, then Kerry is the man.
It's almost as if he did those things to get the Vietnamese to hate Americans.
I got this list from Freeper 'wideawake' yesterday. All the dates seem to match various released documents found on various sites on the net, I'll post a link to one such site I visited yesterday as soon as I can find it again...
Timeline:
Feb 18, 1966: Kerry enlists.
Aug 22, 1966 reports for duty at OCS in Newport, RI.
Oct 19, 1966 receives notice that he is considered on active duty.
Dec 16, 1966 receives commission.
Jan 3, 1967 training begins at Treasure Island, CA
Mar 22, 1967 begins extra session of training.
June 8, 1967 Assigned to USS Gridley.
Feb 9, 1968 USS Gridley leaves Long Beach, CA for West Pacific.
Feb 9, 1968 - May 26, 1968 USS Gridley tours Pacific, stopping in Philippines, NZ, and Gulf on Tonkin. USS Gridley sees no combat.
May 27, 1968 USS Gridley leaves Vietnam.
June 6, 1968 USS Gridley arrives in Long Beach, CA
June 16, 1968 Kerry promoted Lt. JG
June 20, 1968 Kerry reports to Coronado, CA for training.
Nov 17, 1968 training completed.
Dec 1, 1968 Kerry reports for duty as Swift Boat 44 skipper in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.
Dec 2, 1968 Kerry grazed by shrapnel from an M-79 grenade. Navy doctor treats with disinfectant and a Band-Aid bandage. Kerry will later receive first Purple Heart.
January, 1969 Kerry transferred to Swift Boat 94. Unclear whether this is his request or routine reasignment or what precise day this occurred.
Feb 20, 1969 Kerry hit with shrapnel fragment from PCF-94 grenade in left thigh. Wound is sutured closed. Kerry will later receive a second Purple Heart.
Feb 28, 1969 Kerry kills VC with B-40 rocket launcher after ordering his boat to ground. Kerry will later receive Silver Star.
March 13, 1969 Kerry hit with several shrapnel fragments from an unidentified enemy source in the left buttock. Treated with a tetanus shot and bandage. Kerry will later receive his third Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with Oak Leaf cluster.
March 17, 1969 Commodore Home requests Kerry's transfer to a rear area.
April, 11 1969 arrives in Brooklyn, NY.
Jan 1, 1970 promoted full LT.
Jan 3, 1970 requests discharge to Reserve.
April 29, 1970 discharge to Reserve.