"Kerry & Rassmann swift boat stories collide" CARTOON...

IowaPresidentialWatch.com ^ | 8/10/2004 | IPWGOP

[IPWGOP]

Kerry/Rassmann swift boat stories collide

In a major gaffe, Camp Kerry was caught today with colliding stories concerning Kerry’s Vietnam heroics. [see FreeRepublic thread] In a much touted tale, Kerry is credited with saving the life of Green Beret veteran Jim Rassmann while they were on a 5-boat patrol during the Vietnam War. The group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth vehemently denies Kerry’s story and has supplied proof that Kerry lied about the circumstances behind his pulling Rassmann out of the river.

In an Aug. 10, 2004, editorial published in the Wall Street Journal, Green Beret veteran Jim Rassmann defends Kerry’s heroics and includes this statement:

"While returning from a SEA LORDS operation along the Bay Hap River, a mine detonated under another swift boat. Machine-gun fire erupted from both banks of the river, and a second explosion followed moments later. The second blast blew me off John's swift boat, PCF-94, throwing me into the river. Fearing that the other boats would run me over, I swam to the bottom of the river and stayed there as long as I could hold my breath."

Now, compare this statement by Rassmann in his Wall Street Journal editorial with a Kerry campaign press release, still on Kerry’s website as of 8/10/2004:

"On March 13, 1969, Rassmann, a Green Beret, was traveling down the Bay Hap river in a boat behind Kerry’s when both were ambushed by exploding land mines and enemy fire coming from the shore. Kerry was hit in the arm, while a mine blew Rassmann’s boat out of the water. With enemy fire coming from both sides of the river and swift boats evacuating from the area, Kerry’s crew chose to turn their boat toward the ambush to save Rassmann."

Rassmann says he was on Kerry’s swift boat; Kerry says Rassmann was on another boat behind his. Who’s telling the truth, and who is not?

[Jim_Curtis]

blew me off John's swift boat, PCF-94

That is why I was so confused about that, Rassman was on Kerry's quickly accelerating away from the scene boat. Kerry dumped him overboard from his retreat and then went back and pulled him out...and....got a silver star.

This is why I say that this needs film reenactment or animation portrayal of events for this fraud to, how is it said, be "seared" into public understanding.

[IPWGOP]

Ah-ha!! Thanks very mucho!

[notforhire]

How does the google cache work?

[Ajnin]

We keep hearing the mantra that none of the SBV's were close enough to Kerry to see his heroic deeds. I wonder how the dems would spin the SBV's not being able to hear all the gunfire that supposedly came from the shore?

[IPWGOP]

This is why I say that this needs film reenactment or animation portrayal of events for this fraud to, how is it said, be "seared" into public understanding.

I agree

[Howlin]

How many people on Kerry's boat got medals that day, as opposed to the other boats?

[dila813]

search for your page, and the click view cache instead of clicking the link.

Then you will see the page as it was. You have to do it soon. It refreshes once a week each site. So grab it and post the entire page to the thread.

[dila813]

Kerry strikes me to be the kind of guy that would piss his pants so bad that in the panic would steer his boat right into a well marked mine field.

[FairOpinion]

Great catch and cartoon! :)

[FairOpinion]

I really like this one!

Very clever, very good! :)

[notforhire]

'preciate that.

[dila813]

It has to be available to all Freeps, saving it to one person's hardrive isn't going to do us any good.

[Boazo]

I was hoping he ends up like that coin!

[FairOpinion]

"The SWIFT boat veterans also dispute Kerry's account of the mine incident. Several allege that Kerry initially "fled the scene" when the explosion occurred, leaving the other boats to aid the stricken vessel. Kerry returned "four or five minutes later when it was clear that we were not under fire." Van Odell, a gunner aboard a boat behind the stranded vessel, stated baldly "there was no fire coming from any direction" and that there were "no holes in any boats" and "no further wounded", which there would have been had the boats been under fire.

Larry Thurlow, a fellow SWIFT boat commander, alleges that Rassmann "fell off of Kerry's boat" when Kerry rapidly accelerated and left the scene after the mine detonated.

Kerry's much touted "Band of Brothers" of course dispute the SWIFT Vets testimony. Rassmann and fellow crewmate Del Sandusky allege that the mine incident occurred in the middle of a "hellacious firefight". Gene Thorson, another crewmate, called the assertions "garbage".

Is John F. Kerry Fit to Serve? - The SWIFT Boat Saga
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1188236/posts

[GarySpFc]

Ping

[Boazo]

Thanks, Just doing my Part.

[aruanan]

Well, I'll tell you what, there are a couple of things that I can refute ... if you, you remember at the convention and other places, he said he was in the water alone, that all the fleet had left and zipped down the river.  That couldn't have happened because the incident that caused him to fall in the water ... was Kerry's boat taking off at high speed because the 3 boat had been mined; the 3 boat was dead in the water.

So this guy says that the reason Rassmann was in the water to begin with was not because a mine knocked him out but was because another boat, "the 3 boat," was mined and Kerry freaked out, took off at high speed, and Rassmann fell out of Kerry's boat into the water as a result of Kerry's precipitate departure.

[smoothsailing]

What ever happened to:

Ankle bone connected to the knee bone.. Know hear the word of the Lord.

FREgards..

[IPWGOP]

How many people on Kerry's boat got medals that day, as opposed to the other boats?

How many others got medals for that day? ZIP, ZERO, NADA! Only Kerry.

Does that smell, or whut?