I've always had a problem with THAT explanation...
Rassman would have to be as green as grass to not be able to distinquish between the sound of AK47s and the .50 Caliber machine guns from the boat...
The "song" of the AK47 is VERY distinctive - and not to be confused with any small or medium arms that were in use at the time...
Also - if he was being fired on while in the water - he would have seen the kicked up water from bullet immpacts.. or heard the sonic crack of rounds passing nearby.
Rassman's story about fire from the shore - was NECESSARY to set the scene for his rescue under hazzardous conditions and thus put him in a position to recommend Kerry for the Silver Star that the reviewing officers reduced to a Bronze Star...
Think of it.... A Medal for Valor - for picking a guy out of the water that fell off your boat... NO firing from the shore as reported by ALL the other officers that were on the river at the same time....
Bull Squat...
Semper Fi
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.
Are you the same river rat over at Captain Eds? And Roger Simon? If so, you are doing great!