Posted on 01/13/2006 11:53:53 AM PST by paltz
(CNSNews.com) - Having ascended to the national stage as one of the most vocal critics of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman John Murtha has long downplayed the controversy and the bitterness surrounding the two Purple Hearts he was awarded for military service in Vietnam.
Murtha is a retired marine and was the first Vietnam combat veteran elected to Congress. Since 1967, there have been at least three different accounts of the injuries that purportedly earned Murtha his Purple Hearts. Those accounts also appear to conflict with the limited military records that are available, and Murtha has thus far refused to release his own military records.
A Cybercast News Service investigation also reveals that one of Murtha's former Democratic congressional colleagues and a fellow decorated Vietnam veteran, Don Bailey of Pennsylvania, alleges that Murtha admitted during an emotional conversation on the floor of the U.S. House in the early 1980s that he did not deserve his Purple Hearts.
"[Murtha] is putting himself forward as some combat veteran with serious wounds and he's using that and it's dishonest and it's wrong," Bailey told Cybercast News Service on Jan. 9. Murtha served in the Marines on active duty and in the reserves from 1952 until his retirement as a colonel in 1990. He volunteered for service in Vietnam and was a First Marine Regiment intelligence officer in 1966 and 1967.
Murtha and Bailey, once allies, were forced to run against each other in a Democratic congressional primary in 1982 following redistricting. Murtha won the election.
Murtha has, in the past, publicly dismissed any questions about whether he deserved his two Purple Hearts, noting during his 1994 congressional campaign that "I am proud of my service in Vietnam."
In his Friday, Jan. 13, response to the Cybercast News Service investigation, Murtha again defended his military record.
"Questions about my record are clearly an attempt to distract attention from the real issue, which is that our brave men and women in uniform are dying and being injured every day in the middle of a civil war that can be resolved only by the Iraqis themselves," Murtha wrote in an email response.
"I volunteered for a year's duty in Vietnam. I was out in the field almost every single day. We took heavy casualties in my regiment the year that I was there. In my fitness reports, I was rated No. 1. My record is clear," Murtha added.
However, another source, World War II Navy veteran Harry M. Fox, previously indicated that Murtha in 1968 personally asked Fox's boss, then-U.S. Rep. John Saylor (R-Pa.), for assistance in obtaining the Purple Hearts, but was turned down because Saylor's office determined that Murtha lacked sufficient evidence of wounds. Murtha later challenged Saylor for his House seat in 1968 and lost. Fox said he personally viewed Murtha's military records in 1968 as Saylor's aide.
When Saylor died in 1973, Fox attempted to succeed his boss in Congress, but was narrowly defeated by Murtha in a 1974 special election.
"Pretending to be a big war hero and boasting about having medals is a slap in the face to our veterans who were seriously wounded or killed in action," Fox was quoted as telling the Uniontown Herald-Standard in the newspaper's Nov. 1, 1996 edition. "He campaigned as a war hero and I've never seen any documentation that he earned any of these honors," Fox reportedly stated.
On Friday, Jan. 13, Murtha's congressional communications director provided Cybercast News Service with a copy of a letter from the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, citing Murtha's request of Sept. 26, 1967, seeking Purple Hearts. Cybercast News Service did not authenticate the letter.
"The records of this Headquarters show that you are entitled to the Purple Heart and a Gold Star in lieu of a second Purple Heart for wounds received in action against insurgent Communist Guerrilla forces on 22 March and 7 May 1967 in the Republic of Vietnam," according to the letter signed by an individual identified only as A. Gardoni. Gardoni's title is not listed on the letter.
Cybercast News Service attempted to contact Fox for this article, but learned that the health of the 81-year-old was too poor to allow him to communicate. But in a 1996 newspaper article, Fox questioned whether Murtha deserved his Purple Hearts, alleging that there was insufficient evidence of injuries and that Murtha was never confined to a hospital.
"Of course Congressman Saylor wanted to help if he could, but there was nothing in the service record to indicate the wounds were of any severity and the documents specifically indicated that next of kin was not notified in either instance," Fox told the Herald-Standard in 1996. "We were amazed that Mr. Murtha was asking for Purple Hearts for superficial lacerations," he added.
Murtha's accounts of his Vietnam War wounds may also conflict with the available U.S. Marine medical records obtained by the media.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on May 12, 2002, reported that "Marine Corps casualty records show that Murtha was injured in 'hostile' actions near Danang, Vietnam, on March 22, 1967, and May 7, 1967.
"In the first incident, his right cheek was lacerated, and in the second, he was lacerated above his left eye. Neither injury required evacuation," the Post-Gazette reported.
But an Oct. 26, 1994, article in the Herald-Standard quoted Murtha as describing two different injuries.
"I was wounded in the arm with shrapnel from a bullet that hit the motor mount of a helicopter. In the other, my knee was banged up and my arm was banged up when a helicopter was shot down from a very few feet," Murtha told the Herald-Standard.
A June 1, 1967 report in the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat quoted a letter that the newspaper indicated was sent by Murtha to his wife that same year. The letter apparently detailed yet another version of how Murtha qualified for one of his Purple Hearts. According to the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, Murtha's injuries involved his being "struck in the ankle" by a "shot that ricocheted off the helicopter."
Murtha, a 16-term congressman from southwestern Pennsylvania and the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, drew national attention on Nov. 17, 2005, when he called for an immediate withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.
The Vietnam veteran even took a swipe at President Bush and Vice President Cheney, neither of whom have actual combat experience.
"I like guys who've never been there, who criticize us who've been there," Murtha said. "I like that. I like guys who got five deferments and never been there and sent people to war and then don't like to hear suggestions that what may need to be done."
Murtha discussed his own combat experience as a marine intelligence officer in his 2004 autobiography, "From Vietnam to 9/11: On the Front Lines of National Security."
"I had been awake more than twenty-four hours by the time we landed. A few hours into the battle, an on-again-off-again event, I could no longer keep my eyes open. I curled up next to a bunker and fell into a deep sleep for about an hour. Even the noise of frequent gunfire didn't wake me up. (One of my fellow officers told me the next morning that when he hadn't seen me for an hour or so, he assumed I was dead,)" Murtha wrote of one of his Vietnam combat experiences on page 14 of the 2004 paperback edition of his book. Murtha's two Purple Hearts are referenced on the back of the book.
In addition to his Purple Hearts, Murtha received the Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry and the Bronze Star with combat "V" for service in the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam. Murtha also served in the Marines during the Korean War but did not serve in Korea, according to his book.
'He's a phony and a liar'
Bailey said during the time Murtha was being investigated for his role in the Abscam FBI sting in 1980, Murtha made a confession on the House floor.
... you admitted, back in our corner, that you didn't earn your purple hearts (sic) (you indicated you had small scratch on your cheek that wasn't even directly related to an APC [Armored Personnel Carrier] that ran over a small antipersonnel mine that was behind you). The other purple heart [sic] you even declined to explain," wrote Bailey in an open letter dated May 5, 2002.
Bailey is also a decorated Vietnam combat veteran. He served in the U.S. Army's 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and was awarded a Silver Star and three Bronze Stars.
"At the time (of Murtha's alleged admission), you were feeling particularly vulnerable because it wasn't too long after you had called me crying and sobbing, thanking me for 'saving your life' before the ethics committee (on Abscam-related charges). There was no doubt in my mind that you were expressing to me that you did not believe you did anything sufficient to earn the purple heart [sic] and that you didn't want to be active in my efforts to laud Vietnam veterans that served with us," Bailey wrote in his May 2002 letter.
"You may deny that all you wish -- but you and I know that that conversation took place," he added.
In the Jan. 9 interview with Cybercast News Service Bailey affirmed the contents of his 2002 letter.
"The issue here is this idea or pretense that [Murtha] knows combat and he's got two Purple Hearts. He's a phony and a liar," Bailey said.
Bailey also questioned why Murtha has thus far declined to release his full military records in order to clear up the controversy.
"The Marine Corps ought to be able to produce all the orders, the medical stuff, the citations and the orders granting [the Purple Hearts] and everything else. Where is that stuff?" he asked.
According to a May 16, 2002, edition of the Washington, Pa., Observer-Reporter, Murtha "produced military paperwork indicating he was entitled to the awards," and a Murtha spokesperson was quoted as saying that "the media for years has investigated 'and found nothing.'"
But Murtha's paperwork did nothing to sway Bailey's opinion.
"You may fool a few reporters into believing that merely because you got some perfunctory paperwork made out by a friend, that that means you earned the purple hearts [sic]. But even if you were awarded the medals later, there should be affidavits from witnesses. These things should be easy to get," Bailey wrote in his letter while demanding an apology from Murtha for questioning his credibility.
Murtha could end the controversy at any time, Bailey added, simply by calling a press conference and producing the evidence of his wounds.
"Explain where you were and what you were doing when you got the purple hearts.[sic] Explain who was with you and treated your wounds, but most important, Jack, describe your wounds or the lack thereof, as you did for me, years ago," Bailey wrote.
"Unless the Marine Corps gives out medals for unsubstantiated noncombat-related telltale scratches, procured for use in political campaign -- then show me the money, Jack," Bailey added.
Murtha: 'I'm proud of my service in Vietnam'
During the 1994 congressional campaign against GOP opponent Dr. William Choby, Murtha's two Purple Hearts became a political issue.
"Explain your Purple Hearts. He (Murtha) used them to get elected," Choby charged in 1994.
In responding to the charges, Murtha claimed that he "didn't ask for the Purple Hearts.
"I'm proud of my service in Vietnam. I don't know if he (Choby) served in the service at all. I left my family and my business to serve in Vietnam. My family made great sacrifice for me to make that service in Vietnam, so I'm very proud of that," he told the Uniontown Herald-Standard in the newspaper's Oct. 26, 1994 edition.
"I am disappointed that a guy (Choby) would say something like that when I volunteered in the reserves and I felt it was important that I go. What's the point in all this? It's irritating," Murtha added.
Choby also challenged the validity of Murtha's Bronze Star with Combat 'V' during the 1996 congressional campaign.
"I find it very curious that Combat 'V' doesn't even exist in any of the materials he had distributed," Choby was quoted as saying in the Herald-Standard of Oct. 13, 1996. "His military record improves over the years," he added.
The Murtha controversy is reminiscent of the flap surrounding the war record of 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. But while critics like the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth attacked Kerry in 2004 because of his anti-war activism of the 1970s, Murtha's three chief accusers all made their allegations years and in some cases decades before Murtha emerged last November as a prominent anti-war activist.
Choby told Cybercast News Service on Jan. 5 that Murtha's entire political career is based on his war record. "Without that credibility of those combat medals, he would have never been elected to office," Choby said.
(Monisha Bansal also contributed to this article.)
Read Article About Murtha's Links to Abscam
Back in June'05 his ties to the lobbying firm of KSA Consulting (his brother Kit is a senior partner, along with Carmen V. Scialabba, who worked 27 years for Rep. Murtha) prompted criticism from Keith Ashdown of Taxpayers for Common Sense.
An article titled "Lobbyist's Brother Guilded House Bill" was printed in the LA Times. It stated that KSA received $20.8 million from the bill that Murtha pushed thru the House.
Funny how Rep. Murtha just happened to start bashing Bush and the war, about the same time.
Maybe he wanted to divert attention away from his curious action with the lobbyist group........he can now say that any investigation is payback.
I say lets clean house.....get rid of all the crooks.
Stolen Valor Act of 2005 (Introduced in House)
HR 3352 IH
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3352
To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to protections for the Medal of Honor, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2005
Mr. SALAZAR introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to protections for the Medal of Honor, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Stolen Valor Act of 2005'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) fraudulent claims surrounding receipt of the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished-Service Cross, the Air Force Cross, the Navy Cross, the Purple Heart, or any other medal or decoration awarded by Congress or the armed forces damage the reputation and meaning of these medals;
(2) Federal law enforcement officers are currently limited in their ability to prosecute fraudulent claims of receipt of military medals; and
(3) changes to the current statute are necessary to allow law enforcement personnel to protect the reputation and meaning of these medals.
SEC. 3. MILITARY MEDAL PROTECTIONS.
Section 704 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting `purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, produces blank certificates of receipt,' after `wears'; and
(B) by inserting `attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters or exchanges for anything of value' after `sells';
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting `or (b)' after `subsection (a)'
(3) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c);
(4) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
`(b) False Claims About Receipt of Military Medals- Whoever falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.'; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
`(d) Other Medals- If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) or (b) is a Distinguished Service Cross awarded under Section 3742 of title 10, an Air Force Cross awarded under section 8742 of section 10, a Navy cross awarded under section 6242 of title 10, a silver star awarded under section 3746, 6244, or 8746 of title 10, or a Purple Heart awarded under section 1129 of title 10, or any replacement or duplicate medal as authorized by statute, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.'.
1 posted on 01/18/2006 8:24:40 PM PST by Calpernia
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1560750/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1560750/posts
Stolen Valor Act of 2005
`(b) False Claims About Receipt of Military Medals- Whoever falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.'; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
`(d) Other Medals- If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) or (b) is a Distinguished Service Cross awarded under Section 3742 of title 10, an Air Force Cross awarded under section 8742 of section 10, a Navy cross awarded under section 6242 of title 10, a silver star awarded under section 3746, 6244, or 8746 of title 10, or a Purple Heart awarded under section 1129 of title 10, or any replacement or duplicate medal as authorized by statute, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
I asked you--courteously--to provide evidence that your plan of action will work. Your response is to accuse me of being a party shill. You accuse me and many other good Americans of treasonous conduct, and the only reason you can think of that I would call that shameful is that I'm a party shill. Still examining that bark rather closely, eh? You've got nothing and so you slander a fellow vet.
You are the one who can't admit that if was not for men like John O'Neill and Zell Miller that you would be saying president hanoi kerry
1. That's either a lie or such a grievous error that it zotted the last tatters of your credibility. I have given the Swiftees credit on this board numerous times, and you know it! Either that or you're so busy looking down your nose at everybody who doesn't want get saved by the Gospel According to Tonk that you've mistaken me for somebody else.
2. Even if that were true and I didn't give the Siftees their due, what would that have to do with whether your silly plan to "get" Kerry will actually work? At first I thought you were just short on logic skills (like when you turn "Kerry got 48% of the vote" into "The Swiftees didn't help") but now I see that you can't back any of it up, you can't even get the Constitutional law on it straight, so you slander fellow vets! John Kerry would be laughing his poodle butt off at you if he read this thread.
I said you were a better man than this.
I was wrong.
Yeah. So's Dennis Kucinich. Take your boogeyman story elsewhere.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1557630/posts?page=586#586
Your chance to get onboard, plain and simple
"Take your boogeyman story elsewhere."
It's not my story.
Is there a valid reason why you ignore other posters
to you and instead "lock on" to me.
Have you evem bothered to read the post by river rat
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1557630/posts?page=320#320
You didn't read the whole conversation between me and Tonk, did you?
Or do you really think it's appropriate for him to portray me and other people on this board as traitors to the Republic when we disagree with him on a tactical course?
I've put in the hours on cold flightlines and hot streetcorners. I sure deserve better than that.
My point was that if you're trying to scare me with the possibility that Kerry might become Prez, you should tell your story walkin', because:
1. He ain't getting nominated.
2. The Swiftees will torpedo his butt again.
Like I said, Kucinich is prepping for '08 as well.
Did you notice how in that post river rat honored the fallen and did so without accusing his fellow Freepers (especially those of us who are vets) of treason? If you were doing that, you and I would not be having this conversation, and you would not be throwing years of goodwill away on a vendetta against fellow Freepers.
River rat has not been abusive and slanderous. You have.
River rat, I honor your service, and I am not asking you to "move on." I am pinging you to this reply out of courtesy, I am not attempting to drag you into this personal issue between me and Tonk. And don't you worry, I'm not forgetting about the names on the Wall either. God Bless.
I VOW to the 58,000 + Brothers and Sisters on
The Viet Nam Wall who never came home
and to those who died at home from injuries and
from broken hearts.
"I will do everything I LEGALLY can
to expose Hanoi Kerry once and for all.
I will not tire, I will not falter,
and I will not fail.
I solemnly vow to do all I can to restore your honor
until I give my last breath on earth."
http://www.freerepublic.com/~6869tonkingulfyachtc/
Why would Republicans have any desire or need to protect a Republican member of Congress if that member of Congress were using a fraudulent war record to enhance his credibility?
This Republican would be way out ahead of the Democrats in seeking to have the bum thrown out.
Forums such as this one are exactly where Murtha's war record should be scrutinized.
Personally, I'd rather dream of Kerry being convicted of treason and hung before our Wall until the rats have picked his bones clean.. This would come close to satisfying me -- If I could spring the trap door...
You two need to agree to disagree on some points and accept each other as brothers with a difference of opinion - and no more than that.....
Semper Fi
Pinging tonk to be etiquettely correct.
"You didn't read the whole conversation between me and Tonk, did you?"
How could I help but read it? This thread is 'Murtha's War Hero Status Called into Question', you don't think it matters, and you're still here arguing "It can't be won!".
"Or do you really think it's appropriate for him to portray me and other people on this board as traitors to the Republic when we disagree with him on a tactical course?"
I don't think it's appropriate of you or anyone else to put words in Tonk's mouth. I don't know where on God's green earth the word traitor came from. Oh, wait, my bad. Yes I do.
"I've put in the hours on cold flightlines and hot streetcorners. I sure deserve better than that."
Those are your words, but I could just as easily see where they could have been written by Kerry or Murtha.
That said, I deeply appreciate your service, and thank you for it.
If you want to move on and focus on what Murtha is doing today, please do so. Please ping me with an after action report.
I VOW to the 58,000 + Brothers and Sisters on
The Viet Nam Wall who never came home
and to those who died at home from injuries and
from broken hearts and to the Sons and Daughters of this generation.
"I will do everything I LEGALLY can
to expose Hanoi Kerry once and for all.
I will not tire, I will not falter,
and I will not fail.
Peace and Freedom will prevail.
I solemnly vow to do all I can to restore and uphold your honor until I give my last breath on earth."
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