Yes, its a disagreement over the details. Rood contends there was enemy fire. The Swiftees insist there wasn't. I'm inclined to side with the majority view.
You are mixing up details of two separate incidents. The "no enemy fire" incident involved Rassman falling out of a boat, and occured on March 13, 1969. Kerry was awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his action in that incident.
The incident Rood is recollecting occured on February 28, 1969. Kerry was awarded a Silver Star for "attacking a NUMERICALLY SUPERIOR enemy while under intense fire." In this incident, Kerry also dispatched a single VC, but that point is irrelevant, as are details surrounding the age, condition, etc. of that single VC.
If there was enemy fire why were there no bullet holes in any of the SwiftBoats or other crewmen shot? Or were the VC just extremely poor shots that day??
As another poster mentioned earlier up the thread, has Rood signed a sworn affadavit?
Prairie