Kerry claims his boat was damaged but it was his boat that towed back the damaged PCF-3. Does that make any sense?
The Swift Vets have stated that, when PCF-3 hit the mine, the other three boats (but not Kerry's boat) laid down machine fire on the shoreline for about 40 seconds until they realized there was nobody ashore.
In the meantime, Rassmann was, literally, up to his neck in the river and Kerry was zooming away from the action.
If you read other accounts Rassmussen claims he was "eating a chocolate chip cookie" when he fell overboard. If another boat had hit a mine earlier and the other three boats were laying down fire on the shoreline, why would this guy be calmly eating a chocolate chip cookie?
The most logical sequence of events is:
1. The five boats are proceeding down the river with Rassmussen eating his chocolate chip cookie.
2. PCF-3 hits the mine and the concussion is felt by all other boats.
3. Kerry goes to full throttle, roaring down the river, causing the cookie munching Rassmussen to lose his balance and fall overboard.
4. PCF-43, PCF-23 and PCF-51 are now rescueing PCF-3 and spraying the shore with machine gun fire while our intrepid Mr. Kerry is beating feet away from the action minus Rassmussen.
5. After 40 seconds, the PCF-43, PCF-23 and PCF-51 cease their fire. Someone taps Mr. Kerry on the shoulder and says, "Ummmmm.....Skipper.....The other three boats are engaged in a rescue, there is no more shooting and.....ummmmm......you left Rassmussen in the water bach there.
6. Mr. Kerry then turns around and fishes Rassmussen out of the water with his guns blazing.
7. The undamaged PCF-94 (Kerry's boat) then tows the damaged PCF-3.
8. Mr. Kerry then files an after action report whose version of the events is then used to award him his Bronze Star.
Excellent points.
If I may add 2 more.
Regarding Kerry's boat hitting a mine.
In today's WaPo article, Del Sandusky is now admitting that ok, maybe it wasn't a mine, but, maybe a rocket or RPG, exploding close by Kerry's boat.
Yeah, that's the ticket.
Because even Sandusky must realize how ridiculous it is for Kerry to claim a mine exploded under his boat and yet, the magic boat was unscathed-so unscathed, it was able to
" race down the river."
Wahington Post's words, not the SBVFT.
But, nobody in the Kerry campaign bothered to correct the 2nd mine exploding under Kerry's boat, that appeared on page 106,
of " John Kerry, The Official Biography By The Boston Globe Reporters Who Know Him Best."
Kerry has never disclaimed the 2nd mine exploding under his magic boat-never.
WP validates the SBVFT- Kerry beat feet away from the explosion,
away from the disabled 3 boat,
away from Rassmann,
away from the unconscious crewman on the 3 boat
and away from others blown in the river.
"Whenever the going gets tough,John Kerry gets going."
This is the kind of explosion that Kerry has claimed his magic boat survived and he has gotten away with this-for over 3 decades.Thanks to the MSM.
"My God, I've never seen anything like it," Chenoweth wrote in what he says is a diary recorded soon after the events.
"There was a fantastic flash, a boom,
then the 3 boat disappeared in a fountain of water and debris.
I was only 30 yards behind."
As for Kerry and his magic boat helping tow the sinking 3 boat.
According to Unfit For Command- yes, Kerry's boat did help tow the listing 3 boat.
But, Kerry was not on his boat at the time.
He left his crew and hopped on a Coast Guard cutter and was taken to safety,
so his life threatening bruise could be attended to.