Statement of RADM William L. Schachte (SCHACHTE SPEAKS!!!)

National Review ^ | 8/28/04 | Adm. William Schachte

[Lil'freeper]

bump-mark

[sirchtruth]

It was CM that was really a hoot. All he could come up with was maybe there was no return fire because kerry killed the enemy.

What's going to be so interesting about this is both Schachte and Hibbard DENIED kerry's request for a PH!

Three questions:

1: Where's Hibbard?
2: Who granted Kerry get this PH?
3: Why was Kerry awarded this PH?!

[sirchtruth]

Ya know sometimes I sit here and read back what I write and think, a 2nd grader could write a better sentence.

2: Who granted Kerry his PH?

[MeekOneGOP]

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From the article:

On the night of December 2-3, we conducted one of these operations, and Lt. (jg) Kerry accompanied me. Our call sign for that operation was "Batman." I have no independent recollection of the identity of the enlisted man, who was operating the outboard motor. Sometime during the early morning hours, I thought I detected some movement inland. At the time we were so close to land that we could hear water lapping on the shoreline. I fired a hand-held flare, and upon it bursting and illuminating the surrounding area, I thought I saw movement. I immediately opened fire with my M-60. It jammed after a brief burst. Lt. (jg) Kerry also opened fire with his M-16 on automatic, firing in the direction of my tracers. His weapon also jammed. As I was trying to clear my weapon, I heard the distinctive sound of the M-79 being fired and turned to see Lt. (jg) Kerry holding the M-79 from which he had just launched a round. We received no return fire of any kind nor were there any muzzle flashes from the beach. I directed the outboard motor operator to clear the area.

Upon returning to base, I informed my commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Grant Hibbard, of the events, informing him of the details of the operation and that we had received no enemy fire. I did not file an "after action" report, as one was only required when there was hostile fire. Soon thereafter, Lt. (jg) Kerry requested that he be put in for a Purple Heart as a result of a small piece of shrapnel removed from his arm that he attributed to the just-completed mission. I advised Lt. Cmdr. Hibbard that I could not support the request because there was no hostile fire. The shrapnel must have been a fragment from the M-79 that struck Lt. (jg) Kerry, because he had fired the M-79 too close to our boat. Lt. Cmdr. Hibbard denied Lt. (jg) Kerry's request. Lt. (jg) Kerry detached our division a few days later to be reassigned to another division. I departed Vietnam approximately three weeks later, and Lt. Cmdr. Hibbard followed shortly thereafter. It was not until years later that I was surprised to learn that Lt. (jg) Kerry had been awarded a Purple Heart for this night.

< snip >

In March of this year, I was contacted by one of my former swift boat colleagues concerning Douglas Brinkley¹s book about Senator Kerry, "Tour of Duty." I told him that I had not read it. He faxed me a copy of the pages relating to the action on the night of December 2-3, 1968. I was astonished by Senator Kerry¹s rendition of the facts of that night. Notably, Lt. (jg) Kerry had himself in charge of the operation, and I was not mentioned at all. He also claimed that he was wounded by hostile fire.

None of this is accurate. I know, because I was not only in the boat, but I was in command of the mission. He was never more than several feet away from me at anytime during the operation that night. It is inconceivable that any commanding officer would put an officer in training, who had been in country only a couple of weeks, in charge of such an ambush operation. Had there been enemy action that night, there would have been an after action report filed, which I would have been responsible for filing.

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This is just so incredible. Kerry is SUCH a LIAR !

[MeekOneGOP]

2: Who granted Kerry his PH?

I don't have a link to the info now, but I saw here on FR that there were military doctors sympathetic to the anti-war cause and would write up their reports to help out folks like Kerry get them. If a doctor would not cooperate, Kerry would shop for a sympathetic one, I think.

[Cboldt]

*bump*

What about Zaldonis and Runyon? Runyon recently asserted that Kerry was SHOT that night, so Runyon comes off as an unreliable witness. One of the two, Zaldonis or Runyon, was NOT on the skimmer.

[sirchtruth]

If a doctor would not cooperate, Kerry would shop for a sympathetic one, I think.

So do you think this means that when a commanding officer denies a request, that request can then be shopped around for approval? I guess it's obvious, because Kerry received that PH!

Do doctors award PH's?

[Boundless]

> Can an honorable discharge be changed to a dishonorable
> discharge years later, say in Kerry's case?

Not important.

The important action is now underway in the court of
public opinion, with a jury scheduled to return a
verdict on 02 Nov.

It appears that five of Kerry's medals are based on
fraud, and a sixth he's not entitled to wear. He's
climbed the political ladder based on these, and it's
time for that to stop.

Actual legal action regarding the fraud, and his
treason, is secondary (and not likely). Focus on the
election.

[sirchtruth]

Lt. Cmdr. Hibbard denied Lt. (jg) Kerry's request.

I thought that you were AWARDED PH's, not REQUEST them?

[Cboldt]

1: Where's Hibbard?
2: Who granted Kerry get this PH?
3: Why was Kerry awarded this PH?!

Hibbard is one of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and has been out with his version for weeks. We don't know the answer to either of the other two questions. Kerry won't release the documents.

[Cboldt]

I am unfamiliar how the military runs its shop; therefore, my question is: Can an honorable discharge be changed to a dishonorable discharge years later, say in Kerry's case?

IMO, the only suitable remedies are political and social in nature. Kerry doesn't need to have his official record changed, he needs to drop out of politics, quietly. That would be best for the country. THe country needs to come to grips with the harm that Kerry's lies caused, regarding the honorable service of its Vietnam veterans.

[devolve]

Black BG music:     

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Critical dates: Oct 14 & 15, 1969

While on active duty at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Lt(jg.) John Kerry illegally signed out to a bogus
destination and flew Adam Wilensky to anti-war rallies.

Source: Harvard Crimson and Peggy and John Kerry

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Critical dates: Nov 12-15, 1971

While at a VVAW Steering Committee Conference in KC
John Kerry on Nov 15, 1971 "allegedly" votes
against the VVAW "Phoenix Project" plot
to assassinate 6 US Senators.

Source: FBI documents, VVAW witnesses and minutes.

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The blood is in the water!

[bonfire]

....and McCain can go with him

[sirchtruth]

We don't know the answer to either of the other two questions. Kerry won't release the documents.

Well, somebody should know. Is it unusual for a wounded solider to REQUEST a PH?

[Cboldt]

Hey isn't it a felony to dummy records to get medals?

Which would partly explain Lambert, a career military guy, being lukewarm "in" Kerry's camp, and Rassmann being firmly in.

[Cboldt]

Do doctors award PH's?

There has to be input from two sources. A doctor, to document the injury, and somebody who saw the hostile action at the time of the injury. In the case of Kerry's 1st PH, neither aspect passed the threshold requirements. And yes, Kerry "shopped" (actually, waited) for a favorable chain of command. Says quite a lot about his character, doesn't it.

[RottiBiz]

Kerry went to sickbay the following morning and was treated by Dr. Letson with a Band-Aid and Bacitracin, so he didn't need another doctor's report.

All he needed was another commanding officer to recommend him and he needed "hostile fire."

Who recommended him? That's what we need to find out.

Kerry has not released that page of his records.

[Cboldt]

I thought that you were AWARDED PH's, not REQUEST them?

A request from the wounded person can start the ball rolling, but that is not typical. My understanding is that teh doctors usually start the ball rolling, with a conversation with the wounded man's Commanding Officer. An eyewitness has to testify that tehre was hostile action at the time (but not necessary that the injuring object originated from enemy weaponry).

Lots of little pieces add up to illustrate Kerry's character. It is amazing (and sad, and frightening) that the public does not see what a fraud he is.

[Cboldt]

....and McCain can go with him

McCain is a different project. But yes, he needs to go. So do Smowe, Collins, Chaffee, and many others. But, that's a job for us, the voters.

[sirchtruth]

My understanding is that teh doctors usually start the ball rolling, with a conversation with the wounded man's Commanding Officer.

That's what I thought. It is more than obvious Kerry's the WORST kind of opportunist!