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I figured this part out already Chieftain. I figure when the boat hit the mine to other boats started firing at the shore to give their brothers in arms cover. This is the firing Rassman heard. When the units realized they were taking no return fire they stopped firing and Kerry returned to pick up the last guy in the water.

If I were in one of the other boats I sure would have opened fire until I was sure those guys in the water were safe.

10 years in the Fire Department, you protect your brothers.

The point I found interesting is what he said about Kerry's boat striking something in the river as he fled and why Rassman was on the bow in the first place.

The chocolate chip cookie line by Rassman is an embellishment (oops, I mean LIE,) made by the Kerry yarn weavers to give credibility to the 'we were blasted by the mine' story.

...other boats started firing at the shore ...

Heard a caller claim that SOP when a boat is hit, is for the other boats to blanket the shores, protecting themselves and
the guys in the water, with fire until the source is determined - mine, RPG, etc - just in case.

...I figured this part out already Chieftain. I figure when the boat hit the mine to other boats started firing at the shore to give their brothers in arms cover. This is the firing Rassman heard. When the units realized they were taking no return fire they stopped firing and Kerry returned to pick up the last guy in the water.

An old friend, and Medal of Honor recipient named Doug Miller told me a similar story of his young days.

He was on his 1st patrol with the "Bummer", A former Marine now Special Forces guy. The Bummer had point, Doug was to the rear of the column. A couple shots were fired and everyone immediately dove off the trail and opened fire. Doug said he didn't see anyone so he shot the sht out of a tree until the firing stopped. As they got up, they saw the Bummer in the village standing over two VC. The two shots were from the Bummer.

There was no combat or taking of rounds, but everyone assumed there was an responded.

Doug eventually was involved in much more intense combat.

You can google Franklin Douglas Miller.

He died of cancer a couple years ago, around Gainesville if I recall correctly.