Veteran John O'Neill will be on CNN between 5:15 and 5:45pm today...

John O'Neill / CNN ^ | April 20, 2004 | Interesting Times

[Interesting Times]

John O'Neill, the Vietnam veteran who took on John Kerry in the 1971 debate on American "war crimes" that was recently rebroadcast on C-SPAN, will be interviewed by Wolf Blitzer on CNN this evening. O'Neill, who commanded a Swift boat in the same division as Kerry -- though for considerably longer -- more than held his own against Kerry during a 90-minute special broadcast of the Dick Cavett Show. Now he is challenging Senator Kerry to continue the debate they began 33 years ago, in an effort to clear the names of the Vietnam veterans Kerry once accused of war crimes "committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command."

[Carolinamom]

I missed this...planting rose bushes...got 2 BLEEDING thorn wounds on my arm. Can I get a Purple Heart or 2 for this? LOL

[Howlin]

Transcript:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1121381/posts

[OldFriend]

Is this the book that mocks the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima on it's cover? These dirty looking types holding our flag upside down?

[MJY1288]

Will CNN replay this interview later tonight?

[Howlin]

I doubt it. I think this was a one shot deal!

[EllaMinnow]

...got 2 BLEEDING thorn wounds on my arm. Can I get a Purple Heart or 2 for this? LOL

Get in line. The cats both scratched me!

[Carolinamom]

LOL!

[MJY1288]

OK Thanks

[Laverne]

Thats the one Old Friend...and O'Neil held it up and described the picture on the front. Someone has posted the transcript....but no picture.

[LisaFab]

"Did Kerry flack say he volunteered for TWO tours of duty in Vietnam? What the...?"

Hummmm, this is not the first time I've heard that said. Guess we need to track down the dates. Although, if what the flack said is true I can't believe the media hasn't been broadcasting it non-stop.

Really? Had not heard it before. When was the supposed second volunteer request? Anyone else heard this?

[Interesting Times]

I'm not very good (or efficient) at transcribing. Also I'm currently preparing for a move and will be packing up my computer soon. If you're still working on this project after I get moved (about three weeks I think) then I'd be happy to do 10 minutes or so.

We've got another volunteer lined up now, so pack your boxes with an unfurrowed brow. :)>

[OldFriend]

The picture has been all over conservative web sites for weeks. Must be available somewhere.

[LisaFab]

Just returned from a nauseating trip to Kerry's website to see if I could find any info about volunteering for two tours of VN. Nada

Interesting note at the bottom of the "John Kerry's Service Record" page:

[Source: Boston Globe, “John Kerry, the Making of a Candidate”, 6/15/03-6/21/03; Tour of Duty by Douglas Brinkley, Published by William Morrow 2003; Selective Service System, National Headquarter]

[Darlin']

I read it somewhere, probably on FR. :) IIRC, that detail was barely mentioned in the article and I almost overlooked it. It wasn't the crux of the piece. It should be easy enough to track down his dates of service.

[RobFromGa]

I bet Kerry cried and said "Will it sting?" before they shot him with the stuff that hurts. That's the horror he remembers of that day...

[EllaMinnow]

And cried more when they could only find a plain Band-Aid. He wanted one with Snoopy on it...

[goodnesswins]

"Uh, look, Kerry is far from washed up."

That's kind of my point....just questioning others who seem to think he's a gonner...

[deadhead]

" O'Neil held it up and described the picture on the front. Someone has posted the transcript....but no picture."

Here's the picture on Kerry's book:

[Eaker]

"Shrapnel in left arm above elbow. Shrapnel removed and appl bacitracin dressing. Ret to Duty."

That's the horror he remembers of that day...

Hey, that stuff stings!!! I sure am glad that I was never hurt that bad!!!!

;<)

[Carolinamom]

As I understand it, Kerry had ONE tour of duty...first on a destroyer going from San Franciso to Vietnam, then he requested a transfer to a Swift boat (thought it safer, but became more dangerous than he had thought, got his 3 Purple Hearts, etc., left for the states and duty as assistant to a general, requested and got early leave from the navy to run for congress (lost).

So it was ONE incomplete/shortened tour.