(The "More Sensitive" War On Terror)
Posted on 08/11/2004 6:18:11 AM PDT by adam_az
John Kerry has made a number of contradictory claims about what exactly he signed up for when he signed up for the Swift boats. I cite various primary sources in an attempt to discover what it was that Kerry actually signed up for.
In summary, when Kerry signed up for the Swift boats, they were used as coastal patrol boats and were one of the safest assignments in Vietnam. Two weeks into Kerry's Swift Boat assignment, they decided to use the boats on the Mekong river. Kerry and his supporters have made multiple contradictory claims about his Swift boat service and what exactly he signed up for. I hope to clear that all up with this posting.
Clinton lionized Kerry's service in his DNC address, in which Kerry's service was a major theme of the speech:
"During the Vietnam War, many young men, including the current president, the vice president and me, could have gone to Vietnam and didn't. John Kerry came from a privileged background. He could have avoided going, too. But instead he said, "Send me." (Cheers, applause.)"
"When -- when they sent those swift boats up the river in Vietnam, and they told them their job was to draw hostile fire, to wave the American flag and bait the enemy to come out and fight, John Kerry said, "Send me." (Cheers, applause.)"
Welllll.... Not exactly, as you will soon find out......
From the John Kerry website ( http://www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/service.html ):
In 1968, John Kerry began his second tour of duty, and volunteered to serve on a Swift Boat, one of the most dangerous assignments of the war. Swift Boats patrolled the narrow inlets and canals around the Mekong Delta "to draw fire and smoke out the enemy," according to the The Boston Globe.
Well........... Not exactly!
As it turns out, Kerry joined the Swift boats hoping for an easy assignment where he would see little risk. Not quite the same as saying you were volunteering for one of "the most dangerous assignments of the war."
As he usually does, Kerry wants to have it both ways.
According to our favorite Boston Globe reporter Michael Kranish on 6/16/03, Kerry said...
"I didn't really want to get involved in the war," Kerry said in a little-noticed contribution to a book of Vietnam reminiscences published in 1986. "When I signed up for the swift boats, they had very little to do with the war. They were engaged in coastal patrolling and that's what I thought I was going to be doing."
"But two weeks after he arrived in Vietnam, the swift boat mission changed -- and Kerry went from having one of the safest assignments in the escalating conflict to one of the most dangerous. Under the newly launched Operation SEALORD, swift boats were charged with patrolling the narrow waterways of the Mekong Delta to draw fire and smoke out the enemy. Cruising inlets and coves and canals, swift boats were especially vulnerable targets."
Kerry has claimed both that he joined the Swift boats because he wanted to serve in combat, and that he joined them because he didn't want to serve in combat.
Which is it, John Kerry?
(Please credit Freerepublic.com if you cite this research in media reports)
Nice work Adam.
http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:ippxMSBS5b4J:www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp%3FARTICLE_ID%3D37310+kerry+study+france+draft&hl=en
There are serious questions about Kerry's war record. He claims in recent interviews he enlisted in the Navy out of a sense of civic duty. Yet, in 1970, he told the Harvard Crimson he first appealed to the draft board to allow him to study in France for a year. Only after he was turned down did he enlist.
bump
Good job!
GREAT POST
The inconsistencies are piling up.
(The "More Sensitive" War On Terror)
Very nice.
It is easy to understand that JFnK wanted his JFK moment on the 1960's version of PT-109. So there he was, 8mm camera in hand when he got the word, "oh, by the way, we're going inland ladies, saddle up."
”Guns Before Butter.”
”Guns Before Butter.”
He wanted to serve on a PT boat, but they didn't have any of them in Vietnam.
BUT, the MSM never seems to get tired of reporting that it is raining?
One HELL of a vacuum is being created by the total lack of journalistic integrity.
I just can't help it...I'm getting a SWIFT kick in the pants out of all of this, laughing all the way.
I thought I had seen that somewhere!! Good job....
But two weeks after he arrived in Vietnam, the swift boat mission changed -- and Kerry went from having one of the safest assignments in the escalating conflict to one of the most dangerous
And when it became dangerous, he started his get out of 'nam free, collection!!(purple hearts)
It was common practice to enlist in the Navy or Air Force so as to avoid being drafted into the Army, to slog through the jungle and face the enemy on the ground.
bookmark bump
Weren't the PBR's far more exposed and engaged throughout the war?
(Excerpts of) Kerry's record speaks for itself.
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