Murtha "war" record

[TexasPatriot8]

Well, as is ALWAYS the case, the truth comes out eventually (you'd think the democrats would learn this eventually). And as it turns out, Murtha isn't even as big a war hero as John Kerry, and John Kerry did't see or really do squat in his pathetic three months in Vietnam (You did know Kerry served in Vietnam right?). Got this from a friend of mine, a REAL Vietnam war vet. Don't know how much this has already been sent around and is known about already, and I didn't see an applicable thread on FR already, so I thought I'd post it since it's well worth it and important to know about Murtha. Give this a good read and then pass it around to everyone you know. Are there ANY "war heros" among the democrats who are REALLY war heros, and not just cowards who are rewriting history to make them look like they are. The real war heros don't brag about it to then give them some kind of standing to critique the war. Murtha is a coward and a nothing but a little weekend warrior pretending to be a tough war hero. Only two of his 37 years in the Marines was active duty time, and he wasn't in combat in Vietnam. Read on.

"Double checking press accuracy ...

What is a War Hero?

I've been listening to Congressmen Jack Murtha's negative comments about the war in Iraq for some months now. I've heard him repeatedly described as a "war hero". Thirty-seven years in the Marine Corps.

Wow! I visualize a burly ex-marine, his chest bedazzled with medals, the survivor of countless combats in Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War. A man who knows war and combat from the inside out. A man with the experience that allows him to see that the war in Iraq is hopeless and we should all quit and go home.

Although I've been turned off by Murtha's remarks, I never questioned his war hero status. Nor has our liberal press which is why Murtha has been getting away with his charade! Then the other day, bingo, I suddenly knew something was rotten in Denmark about Jack Murtha's war hero status. I've been bothered by his comments in the past but his latest remarks about Marines killing civilians in cold blood caught my attention. Whether this turns out to be true or not, something just didn't compute. That was the moment when I woke up and said, "Hey, I'm going to check this guy out." No real Marine who's "been there" would prejudge combat troops prior to the release of a military inquiry.

And what did I find. Did I find a man of vast operational experience with an extensive combat record? No. I found a man whom fellow congressman Don Bailey of Pennsylvania, silver star and three bronze stars, calls a liar and a phony. A man who came to Bailey crying and sobbing, thanking him for saving Murtha from the ethics committee (on Abscam-related charges) at which time he admitted to Bailey that his purple hearts weren't earned. A man with a couple of years of active duty and the rest of his 37 year career spent in the Marine Corps Reserve. A man with one year in Vietnam as a staff intelligence offer. A man who's no more been in combat or is a war hero than I am. Even John Kerry has more combat experience than Jack Murtha.

(I know flight attendants who have spent more time in Danang than either one of these jerks. ... Luke)

So what is a War Hero? Well at the bare minimum, a war hero would have to be somebody who's actually been in combat, somebody who's been in direct contact with the enemy over some extended period of time, somebody who's been shot at and/or had their life repeatedly threatened like infantry or the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force pilots who flew over Vietnam, somebody who has performed his or her duties in a heroic manner.

And what is Jack Murtha? Just one more scheming politician, a Democrat, sensing a change in the direction of the political winds. A man who volunteered for a year's duty in Vietnam as an intelligence officer so he could come home and run for congress i n 1968 as a war hero. Barf. Sound familiar? A man who's thinking about the next election and hoping he's on the right side when it comes.

As a citizen and as a congressman Murtha has every right to express his opinion on the Vietnam War - but not cloaked in the mantle of a Marine Corps war hero with vast experience in such matters. His comments are very destructive to the morale of our troops and have only one objective - to get reelected.

Regards, Dick

PS I also think Murtha's a bit unhinged."

[TexasPatriot8]

I'd sure like to see that too, but it seems like Murtha has the facts behind his Bronze Star locked up tight along with what happened to his scruples and integrity. And this is the first I ever heard that someone receiving the Bronze Star for non-combat service. It's always been my understanding that the Bronze Star for Valor is only awarded for gallantry or conspicuous acts while in combat. Just like the Silver Star, Air Force Cross, Navy Cross, And Medal of Honor. That's why it's called the Bronze Star for VALOR. How much valor is there in typing reports or filing information or pictures, or other things of that sort that present no danger to the individual? Any one could do that. Is this a recent thing or has this been happening ever since the Bronze Star was commissioned as an award?

Murtha is clearly trying to infer that he got his BSV for gallantry in combat, and that is definitely not true. Intelligence Staff officers don't just find themselves in that kind of combat. And he didn't even file for and get his two Purple Hearts until after he was in the States running for office. That stinks to high heaven. Blech. What a total turd he is.

[TexasPatriot8]

Is Murtha's district a heavy blue one or does Ivey have a shot? I sure hope she wins! That would be HUGELY demoralizing to the anti-war liberal crowd and a shot across the bow from the American people to liberals that slandering the American military heros for political gain will NOT be tolerated.

[brazzaville]

Good morning.
"And this is the first I ever heard that someone receiving the Bronze Star for non-combat service."

It's the "V" that makes it a valor award, otherwise it is for doing your job well enough or long enough, or writing them yourself.

Of course, I'm not accusing Murtha of writing them himself, like I believe john kerry did.

Michael Frazier

[deport]

The evidence is suggesting that Murtha only joined with a political carrer end in sight. That well and truly takes away any kind of selfless or honorable credit he should get for joining.

---

Yep that ol' Jack was really far sighted and planned ahead. How come it was from 1952 when he enlisted until 1974 that he ran for Congress. Yep he's very far sighted.

I think you give him way too much credit.

[usmcobra]

He enlisted in 1952, a recruit going through basic training. He rose to the rank of Drill Instructor and then was accepted and completed OCS.

Drill Instructor is not a rank.

[deport]

Drill Instructor is not a rank.

---

I know that... duh, should have been paying more attention to the wording of my sentence.

[do the dhue]

Much appreciated.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

My question about Mr. Murtha:

[Polybius]

And this is the first I ever heard that someone receiving the Bronze Star for non-combat service. It's always been my understanding that the Bronze Star for Valor is only awarded for gallantry or conspicuous acts while in combat.

You can receive a Bronze Star with or without a "Combat V". The Bronze Star is no longer solely a combat award as is the Silver Star.

By the end of the 20th Century it was being given out for many non-combat acts, it even became known as the "officers' good conduct medal". The value of the award was deflated so much that a metal "V" device to be worn on the medal's suspension ribbon was issued to indicate valor.

So, as I noted before, the "V" (not the Bronze Star itself) would be what would be unusual if Murtha spent his time in Vietnam in a staff job.

If Murtha did a bang up job in an air-conditioned intelligence office, he could have been award a Bronze Star for meritorious achievement or service but he would not be entitled to wear the "V" device on it.

That is why it is important to find a copy of his Bronze Star citation to determine whether or not his Bronze Star was award with or without a "V".

It seems very strange that the Democrats don't have Murtha's Bronze Star citation plastered all over the Internet by now.

The "I Did a Great Job Analyzing Intelligence in an Air-conditioned Office in Saigon Medal"

The "I Did a Great Job Analyzing Intelligence While Getting Shot At Medal"

[fish hawk]

Redeploy to Okinawa!

[Quix]

Amen!

I wonder if there's some ship to be decommissioned that needs to ballast to become a reef. Given his goofy-ness, perhaps we could get him to volunteer.

Or maybe Kennedy in a drunken stupor would 'volunteer' him.

If I didn't know God was still on His Throne with everything under His ultimate control, this stuff would begin to easily drive one around the bend.

What an Alice-in-Wonderland Rabbit hold Congress and our nation and world and 'reality' have become.

Sheesh.

Somewhere I notice the Boorda thing--Boorda's medals were later found to be quite OK. He committed suicide because of the MSM and for no valid nor good reason. Not eve a twisted good reason.

[bray]

Google is the enemy of the Left. Nice find on Turda. So he has had as much combat as Rove, Bush and Cheney. At least Bush was a Fighter jock as opposed to a Desk jockey.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

[justshutupandtakeit]

I am shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you to find that a Democrat is a lying PoS.

[usmcobra]

You know that now.

Distinguished Service Medal of the United States Marine Corps, upon his retirement from the Marine Corps Reserves for 37 years of distinguished service to his country, 1990.

From Muthra website... It should be noted that there is no such thing as an United States Marine Corps Distinguished Service Medal.

and his "American Spirit Honor Medal of the Marine Corps Recruit Department, 1952." is not a recognized medal that he could have ever worn on his uniform

[deport]

You know that now.

---

Nope knew it back in 1963....

[Robert A Cook PE]

You posted this earlier, true.

But celebrate that someone else also recognized their importance, and also posted them for others to read. And, for some of us, to read a second time.

[freema]

Harry Fox has died, while no one noticed...
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06079/673399.stm

SAYLOR, John Phillips, (1908 - 1973)
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:RkJlf6RnxwQJ:cip.cornell.edu/DPubS/Repository/1.0/Disseminate/psu.ph/1134144441/body/pdf+congressman+saylor+death&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=9

It sure is interesting that Congressman Saylor's younger brother, Tillman K. Saylor, Jr, died of a heart attack 3 October 1968, the same year Murtha was trying to get Saylor to sign off on the medals.(www.lib.iup.edu/depts/speccol/ead/mg18.html)


And then, Murtha narrowly defeated Saylor's assistant in the election following Saylor's death. This was a dominant Republican area at the time.

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.
www.cnsnews.com/ ViewSpecialReports.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200601%5CSPE20060113a.html
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I can't get this link to work:
Rhymes With RightThe actions of Murtha's own congressman in 1968 -- who Murtha replaced after his death in 1973 -- seem to indicate that the injuries were not severe. ...
rhymeswithright.mu.nu/archives/151574.php - 65k - Cached - Similar pages

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I can access this web page, but not the links with the Official Award Notifications

www.house.gov/murtha/award_notification.shtml

[Sisku Hanne]

"It just doesn't seem right to rip on him for only being an Intelligence Officer in Vietnam when Bush was never there in any capacity."

You are aware that President Bush twice requested to be sent to Viet Nam but was turned down as he had not accrued enough flight hours?

The thinness of Murtha's service record is not the issue so much as his flaunting misrepresentaion of it, which has the net effect of cheapening the record of ALL who have served. The media tried desperately to misrepresent the service records of President Bush and other Republicans, while they exaggerate, obfuscate and misrepresent the service of Democrats. AN ACCURATE ACCOUNTING is required for the sake of everyone's best interest.

[Just A Nobody]

Do these links work for you?

http://www.house.gov/murtha/pdf/record2.pdf

http://www.house.gov/murtha/pdf/record1.pdf

[freema]

JOHNSTOWN, PA Political Contributions by Individuals
also lists some interesting employers.
http://www.city-data.com/elec/elec-JOHNSTOWN-PA.html