Posted on 08/25/2004 9:09:29 AM PDT by AFPhys
"I was a POW of the Vietnamese in Hanoi in 1971, and am aware that the testimony of John Kerry, the actions of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden, and the radical left; all caused the Commies to conclude that if they hung on..they would win."... "His stories to the Senate committee were absolute lies..fabrications..perjury..fantasies, with NO substance. That dark shadow has defamed the entire Vietnam War veteran population, and gave "Aid and Comfort" to our enemies..the Vietnamese Communists."
Dear Joe Scarborough: About John Kerry for President and the Swiftboat vets
The major issue in the Swiftboat stories is, and always has been, what John Kerry did in 1971 after he returned from Vietnam.
Kerry cast a long dark shadow over all Vietnam Veterans with his outright perjury before the Senate concerning atrocities in Vietnam. His stories to the Senate committee were absolute lies..fabrications..perjury..fantasies, with NO substance. That dark shadow has defamed the entire Vietnam War veteran population, and gave "Aid and Comfort" to our enemies..the Vietnamese Communists.
Kerry's stories were outright fabrications, and were intended for political gain with the radical left..McGovern, Teddy and Bobby Kennedy followers, Jane Fonda, Tom Hayden and the radical left who fantasized that George McGovern was going to be elected in 1972. Little wonder that returning soldiers from Vietnam were spit upon and castigated as "baby killers". A returned hero just said so.
Kerry cut a dashing figure as a war hero, lots of medals, and returned home because of multiple war wounds..even a silver star. His senate testimony confirmed what every hippie had been chanting on the streets.."Hey hey LBJ..How many kids did you kill today"? Kerry obviously was really running for political office, without announcing it...in 1971.
Until John O'Neill, himself a Swiftboat Commander, spoke out before the 1972 election against Kerry's outright deceptions, there was no one from the Swiftboat scene that could contradict Kerry' self serving lies.
I was a POW of the Vietnamese in Hanoi in 1971, and am aware that the testimony of John Kerry, the actions of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden, and the radical left; all caused the Commies to conclude that if they hung on..they would win.
North Vietnamese General Bui Tin commented that every day the Communist leadership listened to world news over the radio to follow the growth of the anti-war movement. Visits to Hanoi by Jane Fonda and Ramsey Clark gave them confidence to hold in the face of battlefield reverses. The guts of it was that propaganda from the anti-war group was part of the Commie combat strategy.
While the Commies were hanging on, innumerable U.S. soldiers, sailors, marines and air force members were being killed in combat. Every battle wound to Americans after Kerry's misdirected testimony is related to Kerry's untruthfulness. John Kerry contributed to every one of these deaths with his lies about U.S. atrocities in Vietnam. He likewise defamed the U.S. to our allies and our supporters.
His conduct also extended the imprisonment of the Vietnamese POWs, of which I was one. I am certain of at least one POW death after his testimony, which might have been prevented with an earlier release of the POWs some 2 years after his 1971 testimony.
My friend and roommate Senator John S. McCain denounced the Swiftboat video by John O'Neill. I have a different opinion than my good friend John McCain. The Swiftboat tape is highly relevant evidence that replies directly to John Kerry's ongoing series of misrepresentation, and those tapes and the cable news shows are the only major contradictions to Kerry's postulating as a war hero.
The print press..Washington Post, NY Times, etc are avoiding the Swiftboat story because they want a democratic president.
John Kerry opened up his character as a war hero reporting for duty (Dem Convention), with a hand salute..and his band of brothers.. of which he was the chief hero. Most of his convention speech was about John Kerry..Vietnam war hero, and his band of brothers, John Kerry's character is not only fair game, it is the primary issue. His response to Swiftboats is like Bill Clinton's "is", as an answer to his lack of character.
The issue is trust. Can anyone trust John Kerry?? "Never lie, cheat, or steal" is the West Point motto. Should we elect another proven liar to lead us in wartime???
I draw a direct comparison to General Benedict Arnold of the Revolutionary War, to Lieutenant John Kerry. Both went off to war, fought, and then turned against their country. General Arnold crossed over to the British for money and position. John Kerry crossed over to the Vietnamese with his assistance to the anti-war movement and his direct liaison with the Vietnamese diplomats in Paris. His reward. Political gain. Senator. United States.
His record as a senator for twenty years has been pitiful. Conjure up, if you will, one major bill that he has sponsored.
John Kerry for President? Ridiculous. Unthinkable. Unbelievable. Outrageous.
Col. George "Bud" Day Medal of Honor Vietnam POW 1967-1973 Attorney 1949-2004 USMC- USA-USAF
Molly, thanks for the ping. This is a great read.
AFP, thanks for setting this terrific letter up as it's own thread.
Cannoneer No. 4, I suspect you and many others on this ping list would appreciate this letter.
I hope everyone thinks it is worth pinging other military ping lists to, also.
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Excellent post, thank you!
ping
"Kerry Fled and Good Men Bled!"
What a great post. God bless Col. Day. I am curious what kind of spin the Kerry camp can give to this one. Lets see if they stoop to call him a Republican stooge, liar and Bush crony.
True valor and honor will never die as long as men like Col. Day are with us.
It makes me dizzy reading his experience! Looking at that, my 20 years in the AF was dull!
Man, oh man ... I know what you mean.
I'll bet he can tell SOME war stories. I'd love to spend a week with him.
Doubt if Kerry's "apology" it will be a sincere. More like a "it was someone else's fault and/or I just got caught" apology.
Would I love to shake that colonel's hand! Thanks for digging this up and as a new poster, hello to all.
But none of that matters. Hanoi John - I mean Senator John Kerry, a Thrice Wounded Decorated War Hero worked hard to end that war. Colonel Day is only bashing the honorable Senator Kerry because of politics.
Besides, Colonel day wasn’t in the boat with the Honorable Senator from Massachusetts.
< /sarcasm>< /mega barf>
From what he's said, he and Kerry worked out their differences years ago so that they could work together on POW issues in the senate.
Col Bud Day's resume is that of a real hero, not a traitor who sold out his comrads for political gain.
LoL... love it!
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Thanks for the ping!
I was in Vietnam off and on from 10/68 til near the end of 1/70. I never, even once, heard of a troop committing an atrocity - J F'n K lives in another world, certainly not mine. I don't deny that such things did, apparently happen, but to say, excusing his Swift Boat mates, "I was talking about all the other guys" is an indictment of me and every other vet who served honorably but was glad to serve and served our full time without undue bitching. I was happy to come home and wearing a sailor's uni, never got spit on.
You have to read this:
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/d/d051.htm
Colonel Day is the real deal!
Thanks for the post.
Read all about Colonel Day at http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/d/d051.htm.
He is the real deal!
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