Swiftboat Crewman: Kerry Boat Under Fire

AP ^ | August 26, 2004

[jonrick46]

The bruised arm was the result of pulling Rassmann out of the water.

Kerry reminds me of the 16 year-old who took out the family car for a joy ride and tore out the muffler while doing some brush running. A story is concocted that he had to help some police chase a robber over some speed bumps. His friend, the son of a police officer, corroborates the story.

[sirchtruth]

Your complaint is with the media.

I guess you're partly right. What concerns me is the way the media can shape this, and fense sitters willingness not to care about the truth.

Eventhough, Bush can do nothing about it, I think it's ultimately going to hurt rather than help.

[Salvation]

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Lambert again.

[Bob]

Well. That's what I get for not paying close attention. Makes sense. Thank you.

You're welcome. There certainly is a lot of information, much of it conflicting, to keep track of.

[Eva]

And none of the boats had damage from the enemy fire, not a single bullet hole.

[jonrick46]

Kerry was controlling the craft in the pilot house. The broken windows were probably from bullets shattering the rocks onshore and flying out into the windows. Kerry had the guns a blazing into the shore.

[McGavin999]

6 Swift Boats and only 3 bullet holes? Doesn't sound like enemy fire to me. Thurlow was so busy because he was in the water that he didn't notice there was enemy fire, but Rassman in the same water did?

[Cboldt]

Eventhough, Bush can do nothing about it, I think it's ultimately going to hurt rather than help.

None of us has a reliable crystal ball. The Swiftees beef with Kerry is personal. ANd, they feel a moral obligation to inform the public of their observations and opinions drawn from those observations. It would be unfair to silence them, but a "bigger fire elsewhere" would certainly draw attention away from their message.

[sirchtruth]

If you don't like it take it up with him.

What does this have to do with Bush winning reelection? I am not disputing that the SBV should not speak out, I just don't think it should be the FOCUS of this campaign because it puts ALL the spotlight on Kerry.

Of course Kerry brought up VN, it's the only damn thing he can bring up because there is NOTHING else for him! And that puts HIM in control and the subject of EVERYTHING about this campaign. KERRY, KERRY, KERRY...that's all this is about, people hear and see Kerry 100% of the time it will give him a better chance of winning just based on face value.

Everything you are saying is incorrect.

We'll see, but first you need to take a marketing course!

[fso301]

Kerry was controlling the craft in the pilot house. The broken windows were probably from bullets shattering the rocks onshore and flying out into the windows.

Good point. A prior poster indicated the broken windows occured the previous day.

[Oztrich Boy]

"I thought we were under fire, I believed we were under fire," Lambert said

Yes, his statment is not made with the same "certain" conviction expressed under oath, in recent affidavits, by some of the Swiftees who were also there.

Bear in mind that PO Lambert was Thurlow's 2iC and radarman. As such his duty station is inside the wheelhouse. With Thurlow out trying to save PCF-3, it is positively in the wheelhouse. And all reports say the Lambert had command of the boat during the events.

Inside the wheelhouse would probably be the worst place to detemine if there was enemy fire of not. Engine noise behind, bow gunner in front of you, twin 50 cals overhead.

I understand him being vague.

[sirchtruth]

It would be unfair to silence them,

I am not saying silence them by any measure, what I am saying is the focus is too much on this tit for tat they are creating thus putting Kerry directly in the spotlight!

[dalebert]

The associated press had to find the report?

[tomahawk]

You have shed a lot of light on this. Thanks!

[Stashiu]

1. The Kerry/Edwards campaign is floundering. NO SENIOR Dems are coming to his aide. They are too busy dealing with the SBV's. Middle America will see how Kerry is reacting. Don't think it will play well in Peoria.

2. The SBV will are effectively laying the land mines about Kerry's character (or lack thereof).

3. It is only 2 months to the election. The GOP has their convention next week. Kerry and Kompany have yet to define WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE FOR!.

4. THEN the GOP can charge into the Kerry record (or lack thereof).

Kerry and his lefty hippies are in a time warp. He plays to them. There aren't enough of them to carry an election. They can whoop it up all they want about the screaming pundits on TV. They can try to convince themselves that they are effectively counter-punching.

The average undecided Joe and Joanne, will look at his absolutely pathetic performance in this campaign and will probably say "Do I want this bunch of yo-yo's running the country and protecting us from the Islamists?"

In essence, Kerry's past and his severe character flaws have started to become visible. The "Anybody but Bush" is becoming "Anybody but Kerry".


AND....the yo-yo's haven't hit the streets in NYC yet.

[Optimist]

A March 1969 Navy report located by The Associated Press this week supports Lambert's version

Of course it does....KERRY WROTE THE REPORT!

THE "NAVY" WASN'T THERE!

[savedbygrace]

Lambert's problem is that nobody was shot and there were no bullet holes in the boats. The bullet holes that have been referred to happened the previous day.

[plain talk]

What does this have to do with Bush winning reelection?

No idea what your point is. Take it up with Kerry and the vets if you don't like it. And that puts HIM in control and the subject of EVERYTHING about this campaign. KERRY, KERRY, KERRY...that's all this is about, people hear and see Kerry 100% of the time it will give him a better chance of winning just based on face value

It's just the opposite of what you said. What's best is for us is for the election to be about Kerry and how extreme he is. The conservative side (and vets) must define Kerry to the masses since he is an unknown basically. 20 years in the Senate and few knew who he was a year ago. As long as Kerry was vague and unknown, Kerry could capitalize on Iraq as an "anybody-but-Bush" and was doing well in the polls.

Now Kerry is being being defined, his credibility is shattered on an issue HE brought up and based his campaign on and now he is now on the defensive. Good positioning for Bush before the RNC. Give this a little more thought.

[FesterUSMC]

you forget they had to stay and TOW the #3 boat back!

[Kirkwood]

Eventually Kerry's people are going to go to Viet Nam and find some guy who will swear on Mao's little red book that he in fact was the person who was shooting at Kerry that day.