Posted on 08/18/2004 8:24:34 PM PDT by Callahan
Newly obtained military records of one of Sen. John F. Kerry's most vocal critics, who has accused the Democratic presidential candidate of lying about his wartime record to win medals, contradict his own version of events.
In newspaper interviews and a best-selling book, Larry Thurlow, who commanded a Navy Swift boat alongside Kerry in Vietnam, has strongly disputed Kerry's claim that the Massachusetts Democrat's boat came under fire during a mission in Viet Cong-controlled territory on March 13, 1969. Kerry won a Bronze Star for his actions that day.
But Thurlow's military records, portions of which were released yesterday to The Washington Post under the Freedom of Information Act, contain several references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire" directed at "all units" of the five-boat flotilla. Thurlow won his own Bronze Star that day, and the citation praises him for providing assistance to a damaged Swift boat "despite enemy bullets flying about him."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
you are right about their intent (the Kerry damage control team) but they're destined for failure because - as this article shows so perfectly - spin as they must, the truth is on the SwiftVets' side.
Serious holes are being poked into John Kerry's many tall tales
Sandusky is the vet for Kerry that spoke at the press conference in the segment you mention Major Garrett provided for FNC this evening. Sandusky's account mirrors the SwiftVets - not John Kerry's - except for the hostile fire part. He seemed very nervous having to say it did, too!
Exactly. Maybe one can request copies on letterhead or something, I surely don't know.
Some enterprising blogger might follow the Compost example and file for other relevant docs via FOIA: The Post filed an independent request for the documents with the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, which is the central repository for veterans' records. The documents were faxed to The Post by officials at the records center yesterday.
I think the POST was able to convince them this is of urgent public interest so that the request could be expedited under a urgent processing rule they have.
This is backed up by:
THERE WERE NO BULLET HOLES IN SWIFT BOATS!
You're right. It is a complicated story with lots of details. That's why it is wise to hit the high points and use Kerry's words against him, e.g., the Xmas Eve in Cambodia, his self-initiated request to leave after only 4 months, and 3 PHs without any hospitalization. The SBVFT have lots of information against Kerry concerning his antiwar activities. Let the WP stir the waters. The more attention that is brought to the issue, the better.
What I'm upset about is the blatant spin with which this article is written. It's written to imply the exact opposite of what it really says. That Thurlow did not write the request, while Kerry very well may have. I'm also extremely upset that the Compost was able to use FOIA to swoop down and grab - some of - Thurlow's military records, while apparantly not even requesting Kerry's. Getting the records that would show how much input Kerry really had in the records of events would provide balance, and balance doesn't even get a nod in this article.
Fred Barnes said on Special Report the other day that he had heard the MSM were checking out and researching the story seriously for the first time.
Well, now we know what they were researching - how to find a way to discredit the SBVs.
The MSM is so totally Goebbelesque, I now view them as an enemy of the USA.
I no longer view them as biased. I view them as actively working for a socialist state under the control of the Democrats. They can deny it all they want. Everything they do points to the opposite.
It sure is interesting that the left can lay their hands on records of Linda Tripp and of Swift Boat Vets, but nobody can seem to dig up any of Kerry's!
Simply amazing.
/sarcasm
Like that hole ???
The WP proves nothing with this article ..
It's just an attempt to slam the Vets
Kerry's side can't even get which boat Rassman started out on.. one account has him on PCF3 (the mined boat) the other on Kerry's - the swiftees say Rassman was thrown overboard from Kerry's when he sped away! hahahahaha
Mr. Dobbs, the "reporter" on this story is listed as "Foreign investigative reporter" on the WaPo contact page.
I just e-mailed him asking if he was citing just the award citation or had he read the after action report and/or the recommendation. Not that I'll get a response.
Steve Gardner was on a local talk radio show (Stephen Gardner- Member of Kerry Swiftboat- on WBT [Charlotte, NC], 1100 AM @ 7.00 p.m. e.s.t) this evening for an hour and a half. I only heard the last few minutes of the broadcast but this is exactly what he said happened. He also said that there were NO bullet holes in any of the boats.
Gardner has studied all the documentation very closely. I don't think he was on Kerry's boat at the time though he did serve on Kerry's boat at some time during the 4 months.
When the host asked him why Rasmann would be mentioning heavy firing and also why he would be backing Kerry, Gardner gave very reasonable and fair explanations. As he put it, he was "giving the devil his due."
He said that when the boat hit the mine, all the others started firing. When Rasmann was thrown into the water as Kerry took off quickly to run away, there would have been heavy fire all around though, unbeknownst to Rasmann, it was 'friendly fire'. He was not in a position to know who was firing but would have just been aware of the intensity of it.
All the accounts apparently mention this initial barrage of fire from the SwiftBoats but then every one says that when they realized that there was no return fire, they ceased and there was utter silence.
He also says that if he had been in that water and the first face he saw was Kerry's as he pulled Rasmann into the boat, he would think favorably of the man, too, so he understands Rasmann's position even if it's not based on the facts and the SITREPS.
Gardner has done an earlier interview on the same station that is mentioned in the link above. It is posted on the web site linked in #5 on that thread. I assume that today's interview will also be posted but don't know how quickly. He was on today for an hour and a half.
Those who are interested may want to bookmark that site and check in the coming days.
I have not listened to the audio for the 8/5/04 appearance so don't know if he might have said these same things on that tape.
do you recall if don droz was on the mission when Rassman was rescued? could Droz, Kerry's friend have written the report? he is deceased...
When you think about it though....... When John Kerry said he returned to rescue Rassman while the enemy was firing, he was actually correct in a Clintonian kind of way....... John Kerry did consider America his enemy
I agree. Kerry is the one who wants to be CINC.
Earlier word was that during the Kerry campaign's vetting of the book, pre-release, they identified at least 75 (or more) direct contradictions with Kerry's accounts that they were actually able to (themselves) verify.
Depends on what the meaning of "is" is. Seriously.
No they don't .. The award was based on the after action report
A report that Thurlow DID NOT right
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