Records Counter a Critic of Kerry

Washington Post ^ | 8/19/04 | Michael Dobbs

[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."

[Radix]

At some point he is going to have to go on Meet the Press or some other Sunday news show and answer the questions.

Kerry does not answer questions. He talks a lot, but he does not answer questions!

[Radix]

Liberal media can report on this story but NEVER mention the name of the Swifties book?

I just read both articles. Indeed you are correct. I tried to E-mail the writer Dobbs at MSNBC but I need to get his addy as it is not provided and E-mailing the article is rather useless (try it and see.) They sure do have us jumping through hoops in order to engage them in dialogue.

[Chad Fairbanks]

RD-1 is Radarman First Class. (now call OS - operations specialist). What is kind of odd is that there were a lot of relatively high ranking POs on the boats. A Petty officer first class is an E6. Never new anyone who did that in one 4 year tour. I couldn't even go for E5 because you needed to have 2 years left in your service obligation to be considered.

I was an OS - it's not TOO difficult to make rank as an OS, as the rate was pretty wide open when I was in...

[hoosierpearl]

Thurlow said in a statement that he did not put in a report about the incident. He thought Kerry might have done it. He thought he got the medal for lifesaving efforts with the sailors in the water and for trying to save the boat and comfort the victims.

If he did not claim there was enemy fire, how can he have lied?

[doug from upland]

Don't email. Burn the phone lines.

Washington Post: 1150 15th St., NW, Washington, DC 20071, Phone: 202-334-6000, Fax: 202-334-7502, Email: ombudsman@washpost.com

[Casloy]

Very true, on the other hand it isn't the answers that hurt him, it's the questions he can't or won't answer that do.

[Casloy]

Hoewever, at some point even the mainstream media starts trying to one up each other with the story. The MSM loved CLinton, but felt compelled to cover the Monica Lewinsky story to keep their ratings from plummeting.