Posted on 08/19/2004 12:50:51 PM PDT by gilliam
Statement by Navy Veteran Van Odell, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, in Rebuttal to Michael Dobbs, Washington Post, August 19, 2004
A courageous, soft spoken man of the Midwest, Larry Thurlow has a heart bigger than the great plains and a commitment to truth and honesty that is boundless. He is under attack, because John Kerry is feeling the heat of truth at the hands of this honest man and others like him.
The Kerry Campaign is attacking the truthfulness of this man and the Bronze Star he so richly deserves for his actions on March 13, 1969. I was there. I saw what happened.
The mine’s detonation lifted PCF-3 completely out of the water just yards ahead of me. All boats commenced suppression fire in case enemy small arms fire ensued. None did.
All boats came to the aid of PCF-3, except one: John Kerry’s boat. Kerry fled.
Larry Thurlow piloted his boat straight toward the mine-damaged PCF-3 from which thick, black smoke billowed. He jumped aboard and personally led damage control operations that saved the boat and rescue operations that saved the lives of badly wounded men. Larry’s leadership was in the highest traditions of the naval service. His leadership allowed the other men and boats of the mission to exit the river safely.
This “single act of meritorious service” – the chief requirement of the Bronze Star – should be honored, not ridiculed, by the Kerry campaign and its allies in the mainstream media.
To reiterate, only one enemy weapon was deployed that day – the command-detonated submerged mine that disabled PCF-3. Larry Thurlow’s citation contained references to “enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire,” because that was the language chosen by John Kerry who penned the “spot report” on the action that day. There was no “enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire” received that day. John Kerry’s report was fiction – a hoax on the entire chain of command.
Larry Thurlow’s heroism and meritorious service, however, is real. To me Larry is one of the heroes of our country. He is a man who served his country when called and who returned home to be a productive citizen. Larry and men like him are the strong backbone of our society. I am proud to have served with him.
Good point blteague. Do you think maybe they got on board in the beginning just so they could be part of the excitement of the campaign, or do you think they were promised something in return if he won and never thought about all this stuff coming out? I'm not accusing them of anything, I just don't understand how their stories and opinions of Kerry can be totally opposite than almost every other sailor that knew him.
Question: Since Kerry had a new citation made up for his Silver Star in 1986? Is it possible that Kerry or someone else altered Thurlow's Bronze Star citation to fit Kerry's story?
After all, one of Kerry's stooges is Admiral Crowe.
Then along came the left, led by Howie Dean, to proclaim the EEEEVEEEEELS of Rush Limbaugh and his vast, conservative talk radio conspiracy and the Republican controlled media (that would include CNN) and swing voters became what OTHER information was available. IMO, it caused them to turn on Rush out of curiosity and surf the web for news more. Hannity already had a diverse ideological listener base because of Fox's H&C.
Even without all that we're talking about easily SEVERAL million people, Vietnamese refugees, Vietnam veterans and their families, who were directly or indirectly injured by Kerry's VVAW antics. Kerry reopening those wounds was a baaaaaaaad idea....for Kerry. The word is getting out.
OK, this makes sense.
Prairie
Because GOOD leaders tend to be good tacticians.
This doesn't even pass the smell test. At least two other boats went through the same water Kerry would have had to go through to help their wounded buddies, and they didn't have any problem with obstructions. Heck, if that was his worry, Kerry could have just followed in the wake of the other boats.
I hope O'Neill eats Colmes lunch.
He also said he still has shrapnel in his leg...I woulda thought that rice would have dissolved by now.
And if $$$ starts going abroad for prescription drugs, what does sKerry think will happen to medical drug research bu American drug companies, FGS?!
Prairie
That's very likely true. So what you're saying is that they're only trying to work against Kerry's being elected, they aren't really trying to help President Bush.
I can accept that, even though anything that detracts from Kerry's campaign will indirectly aid Bush's campaign.
From what I understand today Thurlow has stated that Kerry wrote up Thurlow's Bronze Star recommendation to match Kerry's story. He stated that there was no enemy small arms fire and that if received his Bronze Star because of that reason then it's fraudulent. I'll try and find the link.
Oh, cool. Unfotunately, that story ain't getting out...YET.
On FNC, Brit Hume and Lt. Col. Bill Cowan are talking about Kerry's citations with John Lehman's signature on them.
Prairie
Yep, cause Kerry and his campaign staff are going to take a night off, sit around in the ol chicken coop and get very drunk.
and also probably way the special forces clerk thought there was a firefight.
I heard O'Neill on the radio the other day and he said he, and many of the other Swiftee's, are Democrats but that he couldn't let that liar and phony Kerry become President without speaking up.
They all came from the same after action report, which Kerry wrote.
I agree
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