[fso301]

Kerry paniced when the #3 boat struck a mine. He gunned his engine and struck an underwater obstacle, probably the fishing weir. The boats impact with the underwater obstacle knocked Rassman off the boat and into the water.

In his after action report, Kerry feared the consequences should he say he struck the fishing weir with his boat so he blamed the damage to his boat as being from a near miss from a mine.

[Shermy]

Kerry paniced when the #3 boat struck a mine. He gunned his engine and struck an underwater obstacle, probably the fishing weir. The boats impact with the underwater obstacle knocked Rassman off the boat and into the water.

I hadn't thought about the weir. You're right, that's a good possibility.

I don't think weir throw shrapnel though...

[tsmith130]

he blamed the damage to his boat as being from a near miss from a mine.

Can't be a weir or a near miss of a mine because he claimed he got 'shrapnel' (also known as rice) in his 'leg' (also known as butt.)

[plain talk]

He gunned his engine (while fleeing like a coward away from what he believed to be enemy fire upon hearing the mine detionation on Boat #3) and struck an underwater obstacle

[RogueIsland]

Kerry paniced when the #3 boat struck a mine. He gunned his engine and struck an underwater obstacle, probably the fishing weir. The boats impact with the underwater obstacle knocked Rassman off the boat and into the water.

In his after action report, Kerry feared the consequences should he say he struck the fishing weir with his boat so he blamed the damage to his boat as being from a near miss from a mine.

And there's still the third variation, told by Kerry himself and entered into the Congressional record, in which he says Rassmann fell overboard when Kerry initiated a sharp turn to starboard - no mention of either a mine or an object.