The River, The Mission, The Ambush

Washington Post ^ | 8-21-2004 | Thorp, Spirito, Kirkman

[XHogPilot]

The Mission, The River, The Ambush. On March 13, 1969, John F. Kerry participated in the mission that has become a centerpiece of his campaign for the presidency- and his account has been disputed by some fellow Swift boat veterans. The dispute focuses on when and how Kerry was injured on the mission, and whether the force of five Swift boats came under Vietcong fire after one was hit by a mine on the Bay Hap River. Here are the events of the mission and ambush, according to eyewitness accounts and U.S. Navy reports:

[hershey]

Well, for voters who don't read Kerry promotional articles and testimonials or watch TV, here's a diagram! They'll be 'guiding' our hands in the voting booth next. Oh, I forgot, they did that last time. Not to worry, Kerry will think up something else to steal the election.

[river rat]

The Washington Post also neglected to mention that the ammo consumption report negates the possibility of the extensive firefight Kerry reported..

The ammo consumption was consistent with a brief reconnaissance by fire or suppression fire laid down immediately after the mine explosion -- to draw out or intimidate any potential enemy forces on the banks....

The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth story - continues to hang together and making a lot more sense than does Kerry's fantasy...

Oh, and by the way..... Reporters that have never been under fire - should not be considered valid commentators on fire fights they have never experienced or didn't personally observe..

Isn't THAT their position on any comments made by folks that were not on Kerry's boat?

Semper Fi

[Political Junkie Too]

How did they know that the mine was triggered from the foxhole....? They made the foxhole up in order to introduce the idea that there were people on the shore who could/would shoot.

Any idea what the water table is like so close to the delta and so close to the river shore? How deep would one have to dig before the hole begins to fill with water? Is it anything like digging a hole at the beach?

-PJ

[maryz]

he said that he was with Kerry for 2.5 months out of Kerry's 4 month swiftboat duty.

There was an article posted yesterday that said the first month of the four was training.

[norwaypinesavage]

"Are there any discrepancies in this Washinton Post article?"

This article confirms that Kerry got his butt "wound" from a self inflicted grenage toss at a rice bin early in the day. Since the bump on his arm (as he gunned his boat to flee the mine explosion) did not draw blood, the only injury eligible for a purple heart that day (the rice in the butt) did not occurr as a result of enemy action (Unless he recieved two wounds at different times in the same day, in the same place).

This article, therefore, proves that Kerry did not deserve his third purple heart.

[shezza]

Langhoefer who now claims to have heard enemy fire and that he saw Kerry dive in after Razma

This is suspicious in and of itself. A couple of the Rassmann versions have him looking up and seeing Kerry reaching his hand down in the water to help grab a hold of him and pull him out of the drink. Another version has him seeing Kerry's boat nearby, swimming toward it, grabbing the net overhanging the boat, climbing the net, but just not having enough energy to lift his body over the lip of the boat. Kerry sees him struggling, reaches out his hand, and pulls him the rest of the way into the boat. Nowhere else have I read that Kerry dove in to save Rassmann.

[CaptRon]

I've always had a problem with THAT explanation...

I've had questions about that too, but I believe that his proximity to the reports of the weapons on the boat would have masked the sound from small arms from the shore and he would have assumed that the fire from the boat was in response to fire from the shore.

[dennisw]

Are you the same river rat over at Captain Eds? And Roger Simon? If so, you are doing great!

[kabar]

The graphic omits mention of the time after the ambush, until the damaged PCF-3 was towed clear.

Right. They spent over 60 to 90 minutes readying the boat for towing.

[petercooper]

I actually did push Jim Rassmann out of the boat and into the water, before I pulled him out.

[js1138]

#24: Notice on the map that Kerry's boat is by itself on the top. Rassman says he was diving to the bottom of the river to avoid the other boats. Why?

#25: Where is the hard starboard turn of PFC-94?

#18: Kerry has previously said Rassman was on another boat, Rassman has said he was on Kerry's boat. The second mine was IMO cover for hightailing it..elswhere it is reported Kerry hit his own wake and slipped on shell casings on the deck falling and injuring his arm (bruise) I believe Kerry with Sandusky at the wheel took off when the first mine blew

#6: How many versions is Rassman going to tell on this. This is his version at the convention. Was he on Kerry's boat or not?

#3: Whovever they have listed in the gunners well, I believe is wrong. Should be Gardner. He said he was with kerry during kerrys entire vietnam trip.

#26: There was no fire fight at the village, read the lies here in Kerry's official records and Rassman's own words.

#42: The Washington Post also neglected to mention that the ammo consumption report negates the possibility of the extensive firefight Kerry reported..

#45: This article confirms that Kerry got his butt "wound" from a self inflicted grenage toss at a rice bin early in the day. Since the bump on his arm (as he gunned his boat to flee the mine explosion) did not draw blood, the only injury eligible for a purple heart that day (the rice in the butt) did not occurr as a result of enemy action (Unless he recieved two wounds at different times in the same day, in the same place).

[motife]

Steve Gardener was with Kerry through January 1969. Kerry's tour ended right after the March 13th incident.

[mcg1969]

Thanks for the ping. To me this story supports the most important contention of the Swiftees' version of events: that any suggestion that the other boats fled while he rescued Rassman is a big fat lie. In fact it was, if anything, quite the other way around. Now I'm willing to believe that Kerry didn't flee like a coward, but it is reprehensible to suggest that everyone else was.

[dangus]

The River: *** 1/2
The Mission: * 1/2
The Ambush: Didn't see it.

[DoctorZIn]

This article has been posted to DoctorZin’s New News Blog!

[river rat]

Sorry..different river rat.
Semper Fi

[TexasCowboy]

"Nam is THE worst possible thing Kerry could have chosen to highlight;but he did."

Well, getting hit by flying rice is a horrible experience!
And the rice that hit him was hot!
Gracious!
I think he deserved his Purple Heart , Bronze Star , Silver Star , Congressional Medal of Honor .... whatever he got.

[freddiedavis]

BUMP FOR THE SUPPORT OF SWIFT VETS HERE... http://www.swiftvets.com/

[AndrewC]

Nothing is wrong with the graphic except for item 8. Why would the VC put a mine away from the weir? The after action reports 3 mine explosions. The one that got PCF 3 and two other observed. The report does not mention damage to the boats. The report lists 7 injuries. Kerry's site has the injury reports of five of the 7, Kerry being one of them. Of the remaining 4 all of them are from PCF 3. The two injured that have no injury report are GMG3 Wolfe, back injury and contusions, and EN3 Arp, contusions and abrasions(minor). Thus Kerry is the sole injury on PCF 94 and he was in the pilothouse. I suspect at least Wolfe is also from PCF 3 due to his back injury(all of the other definite PCF 3 crewmembers had back injuries or a shrapnel injury). Arp is probably from PCF 3 because Swift boats have a crew of 6. If those assumptions are true, then Kerry was the only injury not incurred due to the mine which hit PCF 3. Pretty unlucky or he lied about the source of his injuries.

Oh another thing. The after action reports that PCF 43 took the injured to be examined. It also states PCF 94 towed PCF 3 home. When did Kerry get the opportunity to have his "wounds" examined?

[DaiHuy]

Didn't some guy from the Chi. Trib claim he was piloting one of the swift boats in that action? I think his name is Rood. I don't see it here though.