[A Navy Vet]

Didn't think an open letter from a citizen is against posting rules. I tried to include the link, but was only allowed to excerpt. I'll try again if this is a problem.

[gov_bean_ counter]

While many in the Navy are having a hard time accepting Kerry as having been one of their own, an Air National Guard financial management instructor proudly displayed GW's picture as a former member at the beginning of a professional development seminar I attended.

[walden]

I would like the link, as I want to send it to others and I want them to know that this is authoritative. Thanks!

[Travis McGee]

I've read elsewhere that about 260 out of the 900 or so F-102s built, crashed, killing about 70 of the pilots. They were an unstable supersonic delta-winged interceptor, and had an accidents per hour rate several times worse than today's jet fighters. Flying interception missions in an F-102 was not some safe desk job!

Besides, in the cold war against the USSR, interception of Soviet bombers was a primary mission of our military. Viet Nam was not the only war going on in 1971: the cold war was also very very real.