KERRY BACKTRACKS ON PURPLE HEART

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ^ | August 24, 2004 | Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

[Nick Danger]

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

KERRY CAMPAIGN BACKTRACKS ON FIRST PURPLE HEART AWARD

Campaign Says May Have Been Self-Inflicted

Washington—In a reversal of their staunch defense of John Kerry's military service record, Kerry campaign officials were quoted by Fox News saying that it was indeed possible that John Kerry's first Purple Heart commendation was the result of an, unintentional, self-inflicted wound."

"GARRETT: And questions keep coming. For example, Kerry received a Purple Heart for wounds suffered on December 2, 1968. But in Kerry's own journal written nine days later, he writes he and his crew, quote, "hadn't been shot at yet," unquote. Kerry's campaign has said it is possible this first Purple Heart was awarded for an unintentional self-inflicted wound -- Brit." (Special Report with Brit Hume Aug.23, 2004)

A recent television ad from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth featured Doctor Lewis Letson who treated Kerry for his minor injury and Grant Hibbard who served as John Kerry's direct commander on the mission where he claimed his medal. Both men say Kerry did not deserve the medal given the fact that Kerry received a very minor wound requiring no more than band-aid treatment and because the wound was not a direct result of hostile fire, a requirement for a Purple Heart commendation.

"When Grant Hibbard and Doctor Letson appeared in our ad, they were attacked and vilified by the Kerry campaign but now we see news reports saying the Kerry campaign is now sheepishly acknowledging that what we said was true," said Admiral Hoffmann, founder of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. "John Kerry's own journal reinforces the fact that neither Kerry nor his crew had seen hostile enemy action. John Kerry's first Purple Heart medal is based on fiction."

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is calling on the Kerry campaign to apologize to Grant Hibbard and Doctor Letson as the men did nothing more than come forward to speak the truth about the situation involving John Kerry's first Purple Heart medal.

This is not the only incident in which Kerry campaign officials have changed their story concerning Kerry's prestigious war medals. The incident on the Bay Hap River in which Kerry received his third Purple Heart and Bronze Star has also been the subject of considerable waffling by Kerry officials. 

During the Democratic National Convention, Kerry used the Bay Hap River incident to suggest that he alone returned to rescue Jim Rassmann—a Special Forces solider—who was on Kerry's boat and was tossed into the river.  Kerry described this incident to the American people as "No man left behind."

However Kerry officials were forced to acknowledge that Kerry's boat actually left the scene when another swift boat—operating on the other side of the river—was damaged by an underwater mine.  Kerry officials now admit that Kerry's boat returned after several minutes to pull Rassmann from the water while three other swift boats remained on site to render assistance to the injured crew of the one damaged boat.  Campaign officials once claimed that Kerry returned to the scene under withering hostile fire to rescue Rassmann after all the other swift boats left.  But other accounts from eyewitnesses of that day confirm that the other boats stayed on site and that Kerry returned to the scene, facing no enemy fire, only seconds before another swift boat was preparing to retrieve Mr. Rassmann from the water.

"John Kerry's stories are falling apart," added Hoffmann. His statements don't even match up with his own journal entries.  We are going to continue telling the truth about John Kerry's military service record so that the American people can make their own decisions about John Kerry's qualifications to be the next Commander in Chief."

Direct media inquiries to media@swiftvets.com

[MJY1288]

It's time to demand that John Kerry return the Purple Heart and request that the Navy change his discharge to "Dishonorable"

[js1138]

An hour and a half of withering enemy fire would have been seared --seared -- into everyone's memories. What was the ammo count for this action? 500 rounds? How long does this take?

[tirednvirginia]

Turning up the heat a few degrees hotter.

[CWOJackson]

No matter. Thursday he's going to have a press conference demanding his 4th Purple Heart for this latest self-infliect Vietnam War wound.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Where is your trademark, Nick?

[TomGuy]

It is funny too that with each retraction (1st PH; Christmas in Cambodia), the mouthpieces still conclude that Kerry's version of events is still basically 'accurate'.

The media are still giving him cover, too.

Chris Wallace and Bill O'Reilly both agreed that Kerry's story was more accurate than that of the SBV, even after the 1st PH and Christmas in Cambodia retractions.

[Puppage]

It's time to demand that John Kerry return the Purple Heart

Further, if you can be sent home after 3 PHs, and he faked the first, he shouldn't have been sent home, no?

[colorado tanker]

Christmas in Cambodia and 1st Purple Heart. Two lies down.

[Blood of Tyrants]

During the Democratic National Convention, Kerry used the Bay Hap River incident to suggest that he alone returned to rescue Jim Rassmann

Okay, you must carefully look at the statement. Kerry's WAS the only boat to RETURN. The rest never abandoned Rassman and the crew of the #3 boat.

[tirednvirginia]

"It's time to demand that John Kerry return the Purple Heart and request that the Navy change his discharge to "Dishonorable"

Also, we should demand that "Tour of Duty" be banned from the bookshelves. LOL How many books has Doug Brinkley sold, anyway?

[Blood of Tyrants]

Yep, he is aiming at both feet this time.

[COUNTrecount]

"John Kerry's stories are falling apart," added Hoffmann. His statements don't even match up with his own journal entries. We are going to continue telling the truth about John Kerry's military service record so that the American people can make their own decisions about John Kerry's qualifications to be the next Commander in Chief."

[Viet Vet in Augusta GA]

He owes us all another 234 days in Vietnam before he can come back and run for office.

[QQQQQ]

Will Christ Matthews apologize to Michelle Malking?

[Quilla]

Apparently an hour and a half of withering enemy fire from both sides of the bank resulted in no American casualties and the enemy shooting themselves to death. This Kerry character is a loon.

[Frank_Discussion]

Careful...

[NorCoGOP]

It's time to demand that John Kerry return the Purple Heart

Didn't he already return them over the White House fence?

Oh wait...those weren't medals, they were ribbons...

oh, that's right, there is no distinction between the two...

Oh, yeah...they weren't even HIS medals...

What a putz!

[evets]

Loser

Winner