In defense of Lt. Bush: Exposed to more than his share of danger

Washington Times ^ | Monday, October 11, 2004 | Charles D. Youree, Jr.

[JohnHuang2]

The Washington Times
www.washingtontimes.com

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In defense of Lt. Bush

By Charles D. Youree, Jr.
Published October 11, 2004

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    President Bush's military service is being unjustly vilified. I feel a sense of anger and frustration when I hear that instead of volunteering for Vietnam, Mr. Bush "hid out" flying fighter/interceptor jets in the Air National Guard (ANG) for four years.
    As a former Air Force pilot with 6,000 hours of flying time, including more than 3,000 hours in jet fighters, I know that whenever you strapped yourself into a jet fighter and took off, you were in harm's way. Your life was on the line. As fighter pilots, we did not feel we were in harm's way. Statistics proved us wrong.
    During my first four years of military service as both a student and an instructor pilot in fighter aircraft, I experienced many close shaves and witnessed dozens of jet fighter pilots killed in my flying training wing due to air accidents. The next two years, I was on exchange duty with a Navy squadron of about 24 pilots. Two other instructor pilots checked into the squadron the same week as I did -- Navy Lt. Bill Charles and Marine Lt. Sam Murphy. Within eight months both Lt. Charles and Lt. Murphy, along with their pilots undergoing checkout, died in air accidents.
    My 1952 West Point class sent approximately 100 graduates to the Air Force jet pilot training program. We experienced five fatalities (5 percent) in the first 20 months due to air crashes. By 1964 our numbers fell to 70 due to fatalities and resignations. From then until 1968, the year Lt. Bush joined the Air National Guard, we lost 10 more Air Force

[JohnHuang2]

Ping..

[unspun]

If Lt. Bush had hurt himself on the job, he wouldn't have been able to get a Purple Heart, either.

[Deb]

The Washington Times is on FIRE!

[JohnHuang2]

Yup. Unlike horseface.

[kingu]

Shame that the same words would never appear in the pages of the New York Times. It really goes to show how idiotic it has become with bias in the media.

[JohnHuang2]

It really goes to show how idiotic it has become with bias in the media.

It's gotten so bad, the New York Times' house buffoon, Liz Bumiller, now compares anti-Kerry speeches to AK-47 gunfire.

[JohnHuang2]

Here's the thread.

[GeronL]

Hey, I remember you.. your whatshishandle... =o)

[JohnHuang2]

Howdy, partner! Great to see ya back!

[maryz]

I just can't help myself! I have to post that picture:

[JohnHuang2]

heh, heh -- drives libs up the wall.

[GeronL]

I was able to pay the phone bill =o)

[JohnHuang2]

heh, heh

[maryz]

Yes, I think there have a few posts saying that it seems to have an unintended (by liberals) effect on women!

[JohnHuang2]

hehehehe

[maine-iac7]

The only thing he left out is that Bush REQUESTED to go to 'nam. He was turned down because the war was winding down, for one thing, and another, that there were the 'glut' of pilots, .
Also, Bush never asked for a deferment.
Kerry DID. He tried to get out of going into the military - he was turned down and kept from running overseas to school.Knowing he was going to be drafted - he instead, volunteered to get a better spot.
Let's put it this way; Jerry is one of those people who *(and tihs is what make a good democrat) accuses everyone else of what he is/has actually doing/done.

[maine-iac7]

$1.1 Billion for the year.. here's the real scoop..
EBay Earnings Beat Expectations

..........
That photo should be everywhere.
Especially beside ones of Kerry at the same time - what a scrounge!
Talk about get the women's vote...LOL

[MistyCA]

Thanks John. Good article!

[JohnHuang2]

Welcome :-) Signing off...see ya soon!