Posted on 08/21/2004 7:09:06 PM PDT by kristinn
The Washington Post, in a late day addition to their Sunday issue already posted online, reports that a Swift boat veteran who declined to join the anti-Kerry Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has stated that there was enemy fire coming from the river banks during the incident where John Kerry rescued Jim Rassman.
But yesterday, The Post independently contacted a participant who has not spoken out so far in favor of either camp who remembers coming under enemy fire. "There was a lot of firing going on, and it came from both sides of the river," said Wayne D. Langhofer, who manned a machine gun aboard PCF-43, the boat that was directly behind Kerry's.
Langhofer said he distinctly remembered the "clack, clack, clack" of enemy AK-47s, as well as muzzle flashes from the riverbanks. Langhofer...said he was approached several months ago by leaders of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth but declined their requests to speak out against Kerry.
Curiously, The Post buried this news deep in the story. One wonders if this is one of the people Kerry contacted and asked to come forward.
This is becoming so laughable.
> Langhofer said he distinctly remembered ...
Isn't this the other name on the Thurlow citation?
If so, for Langhofer to say otherwise would be to admit
that he helped Kerry falsify the report.
They'll be crawling out of the sewers now....
what I don't understand is why the VC magically stopped firing once Kerry pulled Rassman out of the water onto the boat....no one has ever asked him what happened after he got back onboard
It was all a dream, Auntie Em.
With such heavy enemy fire we must have suffered many casualties on this day. Or at least the boats were shot up... Or ....?
Now we have Dowd in the New York Times and other flacks in other major newspapers joining the assault. This has been carefully coordinated.
Tomorrow, expect this to be the major story on the TV shows of the chattering classes. This is the offensive.
The most bullet holds reported by anybody was three. No injuries reported. I didn't think the VC were such pi$$ poor shots.
This guy says he only remembers the "clack, clack, clack" and flashes coming from the riverbank. Evidently he didn't hear the fire coming from his own boat. So why wouldn't our guys shoot back?
Want to join in the fun? Click the logo to donate to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth!
Our guys "got em" but there were no medals for killing the enemy (since no enemy was confirmed).
"They'll be crawling out of the sewers now...."
Brother are you ever right about that. By the time this is over, there will be more RATS claiming to be Swift Boat veterens that witnessed John Kerry performing extradinary feats than the number of forces that ever spent time in Vietnam.
Kerry needs to sign the release form on his military records - all of them.
This is only speculation-- but I have to wonder if there is not more to this fellow's background story either while he was in 'Nam or since then. Remember the Brown Books that were supposedly done on all the SwiftVets by the Kerry campaign--what is to stop the campaign from doing books on more people? This guy and the one at the Chicago Trib--it is just too convenient that they are coming forward now.
Remember I am only speculating here.
(Going to the kitchen for another roll of heavy duty aluminum foil.)
Gee, John, you wouldn't have even had to rescue Rassman if you hadn't hauled ass away from you fellow Swifties as fast as you could gun your boat, would you?
I recall reading here that this was a relatively narrow river and wonder with all the Kerry reported enemy fire why no boats were hit. Glad the issue is not dying on the vine.
mc
Where is this citation or an article about it?
Ten bucks says he (Langhorn) is unavailable for interviews or questions. No affidavit either.
"If I remember correctly, an AK-47 is a machine gun."
The AK-47 was the main Soviet soldier's weapon for many years. The exported it all over the communist world and third world countries. Like the original U.S. M16 and M16A1, it can fire both in a semi-automatic and full automatic mode. The cartridge it fires is a 7.62x39mm. The Soviets replaced it in their forces in the 80s with the AK74 with fires a smaller round like the M16. The AK47 is still used extensively in third world places. Almost all the firearms you see Iraqi insurgents using are AK47s.
No. The other name (on the recommendation) is Lambert. Lambert is the sole eyewitness cited on Thurlow's Bronze Star recommendation letter.
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