Posted on 08/19/2004 12:50:52 PM PDT by crushkerry
Clearly Jim Rassmann's account of being under fire when he was in the water differs from that of the Swift Boat Vets. But after reading this statment from Swift Boat Vet Van O'Dell is it possible that what Rassmann thought was enemy fire was really the suppression fire laid down by all the Swiftboats? Given O'Dell's description of the "black billowing smoke" from the blown up swiftboat, and Rassmann's understandable disorientation from having been blown out of a ship, it seems possible he could have been mistaken.
Am I way off base?
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Ping. Screwed up last one.
I don't think that Assman is confused at all. I think he's drinking the Kerry Kool-aid. Probably promised a good job if Kerry's elected.
You must understand, that is enemy fire from kerry's perspective.
So we have the account from all the other SBV's who remained at the scene versus the Rassman in/under-the-water view and that from Kerry who wasn't even there! The only believable quote from Kerry would be "I decided to put him in the water before I decided to take him back out."
I'll try to find a source for Rassman being under the water.
I thought presidential candidates weren't supposed to use surrogates to discuss Kerry's experiences in VietNam.
Try Rassmann's account in the Wall Street Journal
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005460
You know when you have been under fire.
A mine sets off one big loud boom.
It cannot possibly be confused with small arms fire, mortars, RPGs, or anything else. There probably was a lot of metal screeching and banging, but no one would confuse that with being under fire.
Sounds to me like this was a single mine in the river, left there by the VC, with no VC on the banks to shoot at the boats.
Caveat: I was in the Army, not the Navy, in Vietnam in 1968-69, but I've been in some firefights.
Unfortunately the Swift Boat vets hate Kerry so much they may fall in the trap of embelishing their on story. If so as soon as the press finds out they will be discredited and they will try to take Bush down with them. Bush probably needs to distance himself a little further from them than he has done so far.
Rassman was not 'blown out of Kerry's boat'.
When the #3 boat hit an underwater mine, Kerry was startled and his reaction was to hit the throttle and turn around.
Rassman simply fell into the water, since he had been sitting on the stern, as they patrolled the canal in the company of the other boats.
I personally have no sympathy for Rassman, regardless what he thought at the time. If he's been fooled for over 35 years that's his problem. I'm sure Kerry has BIG plans for him. Maybe movie royalties by Kerry's friends in the movie industry? Cabinet position? Who knows?
I am a retired police officer with a passion for orchids.
In an Aug. 10, 2004, editorial published in the Wall Street Journal, Green Beret veteran Jim Rassmann defends Kerry’s heroics and includes this statement:From the WSJ article Rassmann continued:
"While returning from a SEA LORDS operation along the Bay Hap River, a mine detonated under another swift boat. Machine-gun fire erupted from both banks of the river, and a second explosion followed moments later. The second blast blew me off John's swift boat, PCF-94, throwing me into the river. Fearing that the other boats would run me over, I swam to the bottom of the river and stayed there as long as I could hold my breath."
" When I surfaced, all the swift boats had left, and I was alone taking fire from both banks. To avoid the incoming fire, I repeatedly swam under water as long as I could hold my breath, attempting to make it to the north bank of the river."
Now, since everybody INCLUDING KERRY agrees that the other boats did not leave, Rassmann is either a) disoriented b) lying or some combination of the two.
No, what I'm saying is that is it possible that Rassmann was mistaken in thinking the "suppression fire" was the enemies fire, given his situation.
Thanks bagman, that is yet another article that supports my contention.
Like, why was he on that boat?
How did he alone manage to "fall" off a 50' boat?
What SF unit was he assigned to?
What was his assigned job?
Why was he on that boat?
Was he the only SF/CIA/Spook on the boat that day?
Who paid the bar tab when he and Kerry went to the club?
How many times did he go on Kerry's boat?
Just for starters......
Oh, yes.
If you are near an explosion...then knocked in the water...bobbing up and down, with water in your ears...you could mistake suppressing fire from the boats for enemy fire from the banks. That is 100% possible.
I would imagine Kerry told him there was enemy fire...
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