Posted on 09/03/2004 2:58:29 PM PDT by The Bandit
The RescueSen. Kerry's Bronze Star recommendation makes no mention of Sen. Kerry being under enemy small arms fire. Here is how his Bronze Star recommendation describes the rescue: "LTJG KERRY from his exposed position on the bow of the boat, managed to pull RASSMAN aboard despite the painful wound in his right arm."
Jim Rassmann claims he was the one who recommended Sen. Kerry for a award, originally recommended Kerry for the Silver Star that later was reduced to a Bronze Star. However, Sen. Kerry's Bronze Star recommendation only lists one eyewitness for the rescue of Jim Rassmann: Kerry for President supporter, Del Sandusky.
This is the same Del Sandusky who told CNN NewsNight on May 31, 2004 that "John, shot and bleeding, laid down and pulled up Rassmann by his belt."
(Excerpt) Read more at idexer.com ...
" This is the same Del Sandusky who told CNN NewsNight on May 31, 2004 that "John, shot and bleeding, laid down and pulled up Rassmann by his belt."
The same Del Sandusky who on July 30 told Heather Nauert, who was subbing for John Gibson on " The Big Story :"
NAUERT : " His critics say that he actually re-enacted some scenes... some of this video we will see tonight."
" Is there anything about that, that makes you uncomfortable ?"
SANDUSKY :"..I was with John Kerry. We never had time to shoot home movies..
"I don't know of any-none of my boat crew knows anything about, you know-the whole idea is just beyond us."
Too bad Del didn't bother to read Charles Sennott's interview with Kerry in the Boston Globe in 1996.
Sennott spent 5 hours with Kerry watching his Super 8 to video movies from Vietnam.
" explaining how he returned later with his Super 8 mm hand held movie camera to record highlights of the mission."
" That's me right there. One of my crew was filming this."
" I'll show you where they shot from. See? That's the hole covered up with reeds."
From the article,Kerry admits they returned later to record and obviously re create highlights of his chasing and shooting the VC in the back.
The video shows 50 cals pounding the beach, machine gun fire, Kerry jumping off the boat and running into the jungle and returning with the rocket launcher held high in victory.
Doing their home version of Apocalypse Now , complete with the sound and fury should be something Del would remember.
Wonder if Del has also forgotten the footage " of soldiers dousing gasoline on huts in a small village and setting them on fire."
Or " Kerry in cutoffs shorts, working on his suntan next to a Viet Cong prisoner bound and blindfolded."
Wade Sanders was sent out last spring, by the Kerry campaign to trash the reputations of the SBVFT.
He called all of them " bitter drunks "
and " whining crybabies."
page 69 " Unfit For Command."
The freeboard on some of the swift boats was as low as 2 feet, because of the amount of firepower they had aboard.
Rassmann was not the heavyweight he is today.
He was 6 ' and 135 lbs at the time Kerry gave him a hand up.
"John Kerry,The Official Biography..." page 105
Rassmann got a Purple Heart for injuries sustained on March 13,1969.
But, according to Kerry's diary for March 13-as reported by Douglas Brinkley in American History magazine-
http://www.thehistorynet.com/ah/blkerryinvietnam/
Rassmann was not injured prior to his going into the river.
Unless Rassmann claimed he was injured while in the river.
I am almost ready to question if Rassmann was ever on ANY boat. Looks like Rassmann was picked up at Cai Nouc along with other advisors. On the return and prior to the mine incident these same advisors were droped off at Cai Nouc.
Why was Rassmann still on a boat heading for the LST after all the other army advisors disembarked at Cai Nouc where they were staying? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
ping me for the Alston report, too!
" I am almost ready to question if Rassmann was ever on ANY boat. "
Rassmann has told a bunch of different vesrions of his time with Kerry.
But, it's like he's become Mother Teresa-no one better dare question his veracity.
He told Michael Kranish that he had free time on his hands and drifted down south, met Kerry in a club, hung out with him for ONE Month and went on " at least ONE mission " with him.
Rassmann indicates they had a great time together having a lot of laughs.
Kerry told Joe Klein that during his time in Vietnam-he staged water balloon fights,organized swift boat races, blared Jimi Hendrix on the swift boats and shot flares at supply ships in the harbor.
Sounds like this was what Rassmann was referring to.
However- and there's always a however-on Kerry's website is Rassmann's glowing op ed piece where he talks about his many missions with Kerry, where he saw his leadership and bravery demonstrated constantly.
Maybe he's talking about the water balloon fights.
The lazy and devious MSM insults everyone's intelligence by pretending the contradictory versions of these fables don't mean anything.
BTW-I doubt if Klein asked Kerry where he got balloons in Vietnam .
Right!
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