Posted on 09/08/2004 6:25:48 PM PDT by ambrose
Former National Guard pilot from Memphis doesn't remember Bush
MEMPHIS, Tenn. Bob Mintz says he was pleased to hear another young flier was joining his Air National Guard unit in Alabama in 1972.
The new pilot, a lieutenant from Texas, was supposed to have influential connections and might be a good guy to party with.
But Mintz said he never saw the lieutenant and did not realize until four years ago that he was George W. Bush, the future president of the United States.
Now the president's military record during the Vietnam War is under scrutiny, and Mintz is one of those raising questions about whether his obligations to the National Guard were met.
Mintz is featured in an advertisement unveiled today by a group called Texans for Truth that asks -- "Was George W. Bush A-WOL in Alabama?"
Mintz is now a retired lieutenant colonel and part of more than a dozen former members of the 187th Tactical Reconnaissance Group who say they never saw Bush.
Bush's spokesmen have said the president fulfilled all his Vietnam-era military obligations and served honorably.
The 63-year-old Mintz lives in Germantown, a suburb east of Memphis.
Hey look, another Kerry campaign memo.
Right... sure.
He also said, to Jim Angle of FOXNEWS, that he hasn't made up his mind about whom he's voting for.
Bush probably doesn't remember him, either.
Not this guy again.
I was on a baseball team in 1968. I don't remember a person's name on that team. I played softball for 25 years and baseball for three years after that. I probably wouldn't remember 5% of the names of my teammates.
One of them could have become Pope and I wouldn't know it.
So what!
Since Bush was never assigned to the Alabama Guard, we shouldn't be suprised that not everyone in the Alabama guard saw him. There are certainly those who DID see him in Alabama and they are on record about this. Why would one guy who says he didn't see him be news?
I think it might be news to learn that a candidate for president gamed the system to receive 5 medals in 22 days in order to get shipped out of Vietnam. But that's just me.
A big "SO WHAT?" I'll bet President Bush doesn't remember him either.
But Mintz said he never saw the lieutenant and did not realize until four years ago that he was George W. Bush, the future president of the United States.
Maybe Mintz didn't see him because Mintz was AWOL.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=wguardwitness
Former Dannelly worker: Bush not AWOL [another eyewitness steps forward]
Posted by ambrose
On News/Activism 02/16/2004 4:19:13 PM PST · 101 replies · 102+ views
THE DECATUR DAILY ^ | 2.16.04 | Eric Fleischauer
Former Dannelly worker: Bush not AWOL By Eric Fleischauer DAILY Staff Writer eric@decaturdaily.com · 340-2435 Retired Master Sgt. James Copeland does not care so much whether people think President Bush went absent without leave in 1972, but one thing he hears bothers him plenty. "Maybe the Bush family was well known in Texas, but we didn't know who he was here. He was just another guy in a flight jacket," Copeland said Sunday. Copeland, who lives in Hartselle, retired from the Air Force on Jan. 31, 1980. He was the disbursement accounting supervisor, a full-time position, for Dannelly Air National...
Memories place Bush in Alabama if records don't ["Why are you still whipping this dead horse?"]
Posted by ambrose
On News/Activism 02/13/2004 10:23:44 PM PST · 11 replies · 48+ views
Atlanta Journal Constitution ^ | 2.14.04
Memories place Bush in Alabama if records don't By DAVE HIRSCHMAN in Montgomery , MONI BASU in Atlanta The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 02/13/04 The search for proof that young Lt. George W. Bush worked weekends at an Air Force base in Montgomery, 32 years ago has taken on a strange, forensic quality. Family photo (ENLARGE) Lt. Col. John "Bill" Calhoun said he saw the future president each drill period when both men were serving in the National Guard in Montgomery. EMAIL THISPRINT THISMOST POPULAR Dusty dental records and copies of old pay stubs provided by the White House are...
Doctor Recalls Treating Bush
Posted by Hon
On News/Activism 02/15/2004 2:00:58 PM PST · 64 replies · 34+ views
Montgomery Advertiser ^ | February 15, 2004 | Jessica M. Walker
A retired Air National Guard physician recalls giving President Bush a physical in 1972, his son said Saturday, adding another memory to the small but growing pool of recollections of Bush's military service in Montgomery. The memories of Bush's service contradict a dearth of paperwork surrounding his time assigned to the Alabama Air National Guard, but a retired Air National Guard personnel officer said the lack of records could very well be the result of shoddy record-keeping, as opposed to deliquence on Bush's part.
Joppa man: Bush served in Guard in '72
Posted by Conservative Coulter Fan
On News/Activism 02/21/2004 9:57:49 AM PST · 11 replies · 24+ views
THE DECATUR DAILY ^ | Eric Fleischauer
Not only was George W. Bush fulfilling his National Guard duties in 1972, he was already showing the conservative political ideology that is now the bane of many Democrats, according to a Joppa man. Joe Holcombe, 71, was the office manager for Winton "Red" Blount in his unsuccessful race for the U.S. Senate in 1972. Bush was the county coordinator for Blount's campaign, Holcombe said. The Blount family and the Bush family were good friends, Holcombe said. Blount lost to Morgan County native and U.S. Sen. John Sparkman. Bush joined Blount's campaign "a little before or a little after the...
Oh and by the way, George HW Bush was just one of 9 republican members of Congress in Texas vs 150 overall. Mintz talks like he was already head of CIA and POTUS.
When I was a kid my dad showed me the group picture of his unit when he was in the army. He couldn't remember any of them by name. He only remembered the one black man in the unit, because they had promised to keep in touch after they were out of the army -- but, of course, didn't. He didn't remember his name, though.
Just for giggles, I would ask this Einstein to name 5 people from that unit of 32 years ago.
This guy has proven to be a major league A$$hole.
He was apparently on flight status in Alabama, flying something different than an F102, which was the aircraft that Bush was qualified in. If Bush was with the Alabama ANG unit, but not on flying status, why in the hell would he ever run across this A$$hole?
What people don't seem to understand is that these guys were not on active duty, 24/7, week after week, month after month. They generally served one weekend a month, two weeks a year full time.
The problem with this whole situation is that the Mainstream Media assign people to these stories who have absolutely no military experience - active duty, National Guard, or reserve. They haven't a clue.
And guess what...not only do I not remember seeing them, now that I type this I don't remember their names!!
Please go to Byron York's piece at www.thehill.com (09/08/04) and Gordon Bloyer at www.americandaily.com (08/31/04) then ask Lt. Col. Mintz if he would like to assert that bush failed to meet his obligations.
Bingo!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.