Posted on 08/30/2004 9:46:39 AM PDT by Tacis
Not according to reporter Thomas Lipscomb who has done some heavy investigating on this.
"Kerry may have been one of the informants the FBI and DOD had in VVAW."
I've been thinking that thought too...
It doesn't take any heavy investigating. The Gridley's operations are listed on Kerry's fitness reports. (I don't think there's any dispute about his November 1968 - April 1969 Swift boat time.)
Tet Counteroffensive (30 Jan - 1 Apr 68)
Kerry arrived in-theater on Gridley at some point during March 1968.
Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV (2 Apr - 30 Jun 1968)
Gridley departed the operating area on 5 May 68 for transit home via New Zealand.
Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VI (2 Nov 68 - 22 Feb 69)
Kerry reported for Swift duty in November 1968.
Tet 69/Counteroffensive (23 Feb - 8 Jun 69)
Kerry left Swift duty in April 1969.
Kerry's Reserve status -- If you check Kerry's release from active duty orders, you will see that he was transferred into the Inactive Reserves and was not obligated to attend any drills. His only obligation was to keep the Navy informed of his whereabouts since he was subject to recall. On 1 July 1972 Kerry was transferred into the Standby Reserve (Inactive) and then received his Honorable Discharge on 16 Feb 1978. The Navy's 24 May 1986 letter to Kerry gives a good synopsis of Kerry's service.
I can recall a similar timeframe for my naval career. I had served almost eight years, but it was years later until I was finally discharged. I had a regular commission, but I was transferred into the Naval Reserves (inactive) and then Standby Reserves. I can recall that I was sent some sort of letter asking me if I wished to continue my service in the Standby Reserves. In any event, I wouldn't make too much of Kerry's status as he moved through the Reserve process.
There are several issues that need to be raised relative to Kerry's Reserve status. Kerry met with the Vietnamese Communists in Paris, per his sworn testimony before the Senate, while still being in the Naval Reserves subject to recall. He returned and advocated acceptance of the Communists' negotiating points. Kerry also participated in the VVAW as a national officer and was involved in the infamous Kansas City meeting where discussions were held about assassinating USG officials. The question is whether Kerry was violating the UCMJ by being involved in these activities while still serving in the Reserves and being subject to recall.
What I found curious on Kerry's initial website many months ago was the fact that he listed his military service as 1966-1970-Active Duty and 1972-78-Reserves. He conveniently left a gap between 1970-72, which I can only believe was done intentionally so as not to raise questions. Currently, his service timeline no longer includes his reserve service. Curiously, it ends with the following: April 29, 1970 Kerry listed as Registrant who has completed service.
I have no idea what listed as a Registrant means because Kerry remained a member of the inactive Reserves until he was transferred into the Standby Reserves on July 1, 1972. This could be a smokescreen to inoculate Kerry from charges that he was giving aid and comfort to the enemy while still being a member of the Reserves. We definitely need more information on this one.
Kerry, the gallant trooper.....phew...smelly thought
Well, I hate to even be considering some possibilities, but will speculate this at least for the sake of discussion:
If he was in fact a gummint spy at the time of his bizarre VVAW activities, he could have been creating bona fides which would make him appear as a 'friendly' of reknown to the commies when he went to Paris and elsewhere.
One thing for sure. If ALL be known, Kerry will be found to be a man of mystery who took part in a disastrous intel operation or the quintessential and consummate fraud . . . and as you infer, a favored protege of Kennedy.
If the former, it was not without dire consequence, but my gut feeling says go with the latter.
There is no 6-month requirement for campaign stars on the Vietnam Service Medal. One day in-theater during a campaign period qualifies you to wear a star for that campaign.
BTTT
If the former were true and he was a FBI/DOD mole, it would distroy him in the Democrat party and with Socialists for sure.
However, for the latter, his dad was very connected with the Socialist movement in the USA.
Freeper Fedora did a nice post the other day re: his family and communism in the USA.
Stockpirate is on to something.
What is the M.O.(modus operundi) of a weasle like Kerry? Get in as good as you can with your bosses so that you can get attaboys.
What did Kerry do? Got in as good as he could. Wrote up flowery after-action-reports, making KERRY'S superiors look really good.
What has Kerry shown in the past 30 years? A BRAZEN ability to take completely diametrically opposed positions (War hero to anti-war peacenik to public warhawk).
The documents seem to indicate that Kerry re-uped for 6 years, although Kerry won't reveal that.
Here are two totally opposed thoughts on that:
1# - Stockpirate is correct. Kerry was acting as the mole in the anti-war VVAW movement. That would explain where some of that info was coming from. In that case, Kerry would TOTALLY betray he fellow anti-war comrades. But, so what? Kerry had already shown that he would betray his fellow comrades who were still in Vietnam.
2# - Kerry was arrested and charged with treason or conduct unbecoming. Fullbright and/or other powerful senators talked the Navy into covering it up. Part of the agreement was that Kerry had to re-up for another six-year hitch to keep him quiet. Notice that about 1972, his anti-war diatribes went away.
Ooops! My Kennedy reference in # 26 was for mumzie.
Ping.
There are speechs and such that have Kerry listeda s a national leader well in to 1972.
I think it is tinfoil hat time.
RESERVE RESERVE RESERVE RESERVE RESERVE RESERVE RESERVE RESERVE RESERVE.
He volunteered for the navy RESERVE -Just like Bush volunteerd for The ANG.
Kerry did NOT volunteer for the Navy.
We need to get this message out.
Naw, just plucking the straws out of the water so he won't find any to grab.
LOL
I dunno. The whole Kerry timeline is confusing me.
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