Swift boat skipper: Kerry critics wrong

Chicago Tribune ^ | August 21, 2004 | Tim Jones

[palmer]

The commander of a Navy swift boat who served alongside Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry during the Vietnam War stepped forward Saturday to dispute attacks challenging Kerry's integrity and war record.

William Rood, an editor on the Chicago Tribune's metropolitan desk, said he broke 35 years of silence about the Feb. 28, 1969, mission that resulted in Kerry's receiving a Silver Star because recent portrayals of Kerry's actions published in the best-selling book "Unfit for Command" are wrong and smear the reputations of veterans who served with Kerry.

...

[spunkets]

Seems the fundamental topic of the clash between Rood and the "Unfit for Command" author(s) is a question of tactics, nothing more. Rood is refusing further comment, because then he's have to go beyond irrelevant discussion of tactics.

I have no doubt Kerry would and knows how to kill folks that don't go along with his commie schemes. That's not what's at hand. He has trashed folks that were fighting for the interests of the US. In particular Freedom. Once discharged from duty he sided with the leftists to promote their causes, not the cause of Freedom and decency being promoted and supported by the US at the time.

Kerry sucks and so does Rood for the obfuscation supporting Kerry.

[palmer]

Reading Rood's statement about the loin cloth seems to indicate that there weren't a lot of VC's:

Rood recalled the fleeing Viet Cong was "a grown man, dressed in the kind of garb the VC usually wore." There were other attackers as well, he said, and his boat and Kerry's boat took significant fire.

[Cboldt]

Rood is concerned about the Swifties "impugning vets not in the media spotlight." The next logical question is asking him how he feels about Kerry's Winter Soldier BS.

Since Rood makes his story about innacuracies in Swiftees account, the next logical point is for the Swiftees and to yank the debate back to the point - there was no numerically superior enemy. Does Rood agree or disagree with Kerry ON THAT POINT?

[hellinahandcart]

So Rood is an anti-war protestor. I and maybe 100 other people staged a counter-rally that day. There were Iraqis at our rally. Aziz Al-Taee gave a speech there.

[lavrenti]

I wonder if Rood was ever a member of the VVAW.

[goldstategop]

Exactly. There's massive media bias. When it comes to what's held against Kerry, the old liberal mantra about the "seriousness of the charge" gets ignored. Instead they focus on who is paying to accuse Kerry. Its straight out of the DNC playbook. They have their marching orders well in hand and they'll support their Golden Boy TM to the hilt; it wouldn't matter if he were caught in bed now with a live boy or dead girl, they'd be fawning all over him. He's a Democrat and gets the benefit of the doubt.

[hellinahandcart]

Actually, this is 'Pod speaking. Forgot to login.

That's the problem w/ a one computer household.

[Cboldt]

Reading Rood's statement about the loin cloth seems to indicate that there weren't a lot of VC's

Exactly! Rood is supporting the Swiftee's point, at best, or not even addressing it, at worst. Too bad he's unavailable to answer a question or two, relating to the point of contention.

[cyncooper]

His Bronze Star citation, he said, misidentifies the river where the main action occurred.

I believe we are supposed to perceive this as a "contradiction" and hold Rood as the unbelievable party on the issue of what river the action occurred in since the "official" document states the irrefutable truth.

Right?

(sarcasm for those in Rio Linda)

[goldstategop]

Just muddy the waters and then claim too much time has passed to ascertain what happened that day. Refuse all attempts to clear up discrepanies. And these Kerry flacks think they're clever.

[palmer]

He can't answer because this is a reference story only to be used to "discredit" the SBVTs later. Any debate about his account will dilute the discreditation.

[jimbo123]

William Rood
WRood@tribune.com

His handlers:

George de Lama
gdelama@tribune.com

Tim Jones
TXJones@tribune.com

[Cboldt]

Any debate about his account will dilute the discreditation.

That's why the Swiftees have to (and will) yank the debate back to the point of contention.

[cyncooper]

"vindicate"?

LOL

My goodness the bar is low for Monsieur Ketchup.

My God, it's high for GWB.

[maryz]

My father is a Purple Heart recepient, and when I think of how this story might make other people wonder whether or not its legitimate because of how easy this story makes it seem to get one fraudulently, it tears me up inside.

I'm sure people who know your father (as with any other vet or anyone else) have a pretty clear idea of what he's like, an impression that can only be reinforced by knowing about the Purple Heart. The Swift Vets are -- in some part -- so indignant, though, because they agree that awards should not be cheapened by those who used chicanery.

Realistically, though, I doubt that there's an honor or award in any field or area that doesn't have at least a few poseurs sporting it. Yassir Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize, as did Mother Theresa -- it didn't change my opinion of either of them.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

I have read on kerry's web site he posts his SS and shows it with a V for valor.

The SS never was issued with a V, the V is issued for lower medals such as the BS. If Kerry is showing a V on his SS he is breaking federal criminal law.

[cyncooper]

Rood's account also sharply contradicts the version currently put forth by the anti-Kerry veterans

Can somebody please clarify where he "sharply contradicts" anything???

[cyncooper]

but this guy Rood, while trying to say the Swifties are wrong is actually at odds with Kerry's acount of the incident and closer to the Swifties.

That's how I was reading it.

My head hurts from trying to follow their tortuous path to "vindication" of Kerry.

[jimbo123]

E-mail the staff of the Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/site/chi-newspaperemail.htmlstory

[palmer]

1) Before this day's mission, though, Kerry, the tactical commander of the mission, discussed with Rood and Droz a change in response to the anticipated ambushes: If possible, turn into the fire once it is identified and attack the ambushers, Rood recalled Kerry saying. The boats followed that new tactic with great success, Rood said, and the mission was highly praised.

In the book "Unfit for Command," Kerry's critics maintained otherwise. ...

2) In the book, O'Neill and Corsi said Kerry chased down a "young Viet Cong in a loincloth clutching a grenade launcher which may or may not have been loaded."

Rood recalled the fleeing Viet Cong was "a grown man, dressed in the kind of garb the VC usually wore."

Those are the only two discrepencies I see in the article.