"Ronald Reagan never got anywhere near the military war (claiming eyesight difficulties to avoid deployment in World War II), and he spent his life as a Hollywood actor, not a rancher, yet to this day, conservatives swoon over his masculine role-playing as though he is some sort of super-brave military hero. Meanwhile, Jimmy Carter, who actually graduated the Naval Academy and was assigned to real live nuclear submarines, is mocked as a weak and snivelling coward who should not have a ship named after him."
On December 7th 1941 Lt. Reagan had 4 years of military service under his belt in the Army Reserve, after war was declared Reagan transferred to army transportation and later was sent to the film devision of the army where he served until after the war. United States Army Captain Ronald Reagan turned down a promotion to Major, saying that it should go to one of the boys from the front lines.
On December 7th 1941 Jimmy Carter was a healthy young man, he spent the next two years in college, he then secured a 4 year slot at the Navy Academy, where he was when the war ended.
Thank you ansel12 for bringing historical truth and clarity to the foolishness of some people looking to demean and undermine.
Correct. As for John Kerry, he expected to be stationed in a fleet vessel offshore from the combat zone, and was shocked when he was transferred to Swiftboat duty. He then carried out a program of using exaggerated "wounds" to obtain an early discharge, went home, and engaged in treason.
As for George W. Bush, learning to fly a notorious tricky and dangerous jet fighter is hardly the duty one would choose if one wanted to get through the war safely and easily. Bush had no guarantee he would not be sent into combat, anyway. That would better describe what Al Gore did as a "reporter" in Viet Nam.