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.
"Kerry served his country in combat. I have nothing negative to say about that. He did more than most. Kerry’s exaggerations of his heroics are just ridiculous. I have found that those that brag about their heroics are almost always exaggerating. Seems to be the case here."
I have alot negative to say. He aided the enemy, he has blood on his hands, he is a traitor to his fellow soldiers, he is a liar. He cannot be allowed to be the leader of our troops.
Two words that should be seared, seared into the minds of all Americans.
KERRY LIES
Two words that should be seared, seared into the minds of all Americans.
Kerry read the Scott Peterson Handbook on public relations.
Even if that's all there is to it, then they have something to gain by preventing his election. That was my point. If they had brought up all these concerns about getting the story straight about what happened in a year when John Kerry wasn't a candidate for president, then it might reasonably be argued that they have/had "nothing to gain". This year, something more than merely the factual account of an engagement in Vietnam is at stake.
I'm with you!
Kerry's been a senator for how many years? And yet this issue never came up during any of his Senate campaigns? (Didn't at least one of the Swift Boat vets actually speak favorably of Kerry during a previous Senate campaign?)
However, note that I totally agree with you that they are not trying to get President Bush reelected. They are trying to make sure that Kerry doesn't get elected. President Bush's reelection would be a secondary result.
And it's not surprising that Thurlow's bravery never made it into the after-action reports, authored by none other than John Kerry. Of course, it was hard for JFK to witness Thurlow's actions, since he was high-tailing it down the river, out of harm's way (after causing that Green Beret to fall overboard). BTW, someone needs to examine the connection between Rassmman and Kerry. Here's a guy who just conveniently popped up at the start of a Presidential campaign and sticks by Kerry's preferred version of events, despite refutation by a number of witnesses. There are lots of accusations that the Swifties were "bought" by GOP donors, but no one bothers to ask why that handful of veterans stand stubbornly by JFK. Most of the pro-Kerry group don't appear to be particularly successful or propserous, so you've got to wonder who was really bought and sold....
That's fine, and as I've noted twice elsewhere on this thread, the main goal is to set the record straight about Kerry's service. But... common sense indicates that if they want to really sock it to Kerry (as someone else noted, payback is a b*tch), they're going to do it when it will most strongly affect him, and that might just be when he's running in a tight campaign for POTUS. And common-sense wise, which campaign is more likely to be negatively impacted? I doubt these guys lack for common sense.
Rephrasing a point I made earlier: if all they have to gain is a factual account of John Kerry's service in Vietnam and in particular, a clearer picture of his minimal action under hostile circumstances (which didn't merit commendations for valor), then to appear motivated only by that high regard for truth, they should have done this prior to Kerry's nomination as the Democratic candidate for POTUS. Because they have timed it as they have timed it, then many people could perceive that one of their motivations is to affect the election. And when they run most of the ads in swing states (rather than a more general canvassing of the entire U.S.) that helps strengthen an incorrect perception of their motivation(s).
That's stated about as clearly as I can.
Main Entry: de·spi·ca·ble
Etymology: Late Latin despicabilis; to despise
: deserving to be despised : so worthless or obnoxious as to rouse moral indignation <despicable behavior>
synonym see CONTEMPTIBLE
Watch Rassmann's body language. I'm convinced that he knows he's not telling the truth and nothing but the truth. I understand that he's on the sKerry campaign payroll.
1) His presidential nomination
The Swiftees were uninvolved in politics (and even moderately supportive of him against some charges) but only as long as he remained nothing more than just one of a hundred senators. His shooting for the CiC job changed everything.
2) His biography
Sometime earlier this year, as part of his campaign, Brinkley's biography of kerry was released. Once it was, they could see just how badly he had distorted/fabricated his Vietnam service with them.
I heard "Cut & Run" Kerry was gone for at least 5 minutes.
I agree with your assessment. Unfortunately, I think that more people might believe them if this wasn't occurring in the context of the Presidential election, because it makes an important issue into the appearance of just more "dirty politics". Hopefully, the right number of people will believe them and realize Kerry's Vietnam service record isn't a criterion on which the choice of CiC/POTUS in 2004 should be based, which is the snake oil the Kerry campaign has been trying to sell.
I have heard O'Neill state in interviews that he has been approached many times during previous Kerry campaigns to speak out against Kerry. He had always stayed out of it before but that the position of Commander in Chief changed the stakes.
Well, that essentially reinforces my point. Thanks.
Excellent point, Sister.
Doc
I told my mother last week that this thing had legs. One week later its kicked up in third gear. She is so dosmayed that Kerry is ahead in the polls. I said "Mom, Dukakis was ahead by 17 points at this time in 1988. Gore was ahead by 5 at Labor Day. Kerry is just starting to swirl the drain. In November you will be hearing the glug-glug sound when the toilet has completed the flush cycle."
SpeakingUp's tagline (Kerry Lied, 1,800,000 Cambodians died)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.