Corrections please. As one of the people who worked on “Unfit for Command”, I’ll try to provide some information here.
Kerry and a friend threw a hand grenade into some sacks or containers of VC rice, but stood too close to them when they exploded. That is how Kerry got rice in his ass.
Kerry fired at a VC from his Swift Boat but apparently hit the railing and some small/tiny shrapnel hit his arm. Boo hoo.
On the Bay Hap River, Kerry claimed that his boat was hit by a mine which threw him around the pilot house and injured his arm, hip, etc. NEVER HAPPENED. No mine. His boat apparently hit either an under water obstruction (i.e. log, rock, etc), or the bottom because the propellers were bent backwards as happens when you run into and over something large and hard.
he then fled down the river leaving the boat hit by a real mine, floundering with wounded on it. He also lost a Special Forces soldier who fell overboard. Yes, he DID LEAVE A MAN BEHIND.
Besides “Unfit for Command”, we provided new information in a follow-up book by Scott Swett and Tim Ziegler entitled “To Set The Record Straight”. It’s all in the for everyone to read.
Kerry did see actual combat and do well, but he put his ass and his career above the safety of his men, took credit for things others did in conjunction with his operations, and lied about his “wounds”, changed his medals recommendations, and got undue influence or thru decept, letters of recommendation for his awards, and his way out of Vietnam.
Kerry’s treason lay in the fact that during a time of war, and as a Naval officer, even if in the inactive reserve, he had illegal contact with the communist enemy in Paris, at least twice, if not three times. He also was affiliated with communists in the anti-Vietnam movement (see the site www.WinterSoldier.com and some of the SwiftBoat sites.)
Kerry committed treason and should be punished severally for it. That’s what many of us wanted to happen in the 1970’s and again in 2004 when we did the book. I hold that some view today, as do many others from Nam.
thank you for your exposure of this despicable traitor