Rasmann Got a Purple Heart on Same Day as Kerry?

The Kerry Spot ^ | 8/26/2004 | Jim Geraghty

[x1stcav]

Kerry Spot [ jim geraghty reporting ]

RASSMANN GOT A PURPLE HEART, TOO? ON THE SAME DAY? [08/26 01:52 PM]

Has it been reported elsewhere that Jim Rassmann, the man John Kerry fished out of the river, was awarded a Purple Heart “for wounds received in connection with military operations against a hostile force” on the day he was rescued by John Kerry?

Have any of the accounts of that day listed an injury on the part of Rassmann? The descriptions, including Rassmann‘s own, don‘t mention this injury. The Kerry Spot is not charging Rassmann with not being injured; but it seems like an important point that’s been ignored by previous accounts.

If Rassmann were injured while he’s bobbing in the water after falling off PCF-94, that makes the story of his rescue even more dramatic. If his Purple Heart was awarded for being shot, that would appear to strengthen the argument that the boats were under fire. And yet neither the Globe’s account, nor “Unfit for Command,” appear to mention an injury to Rassmann, and I haven’t seen any reference to this in “Tour of Duty.”

The next question is who put in the paperwork for Rassmann’s Purple Heart medal.

Lt. JG John Kerry?

Would it weaken the case that Kerry earned his medals in that March 13, 1969 incident if the man recommending him for those medals was being recommended for medals of his own by Kerry?

Now, we shouldn’t read too much into this. The recommendation for Rassmann’s purple heart could have come from some other sailor or soldier out there. Even if it came from Kerry, this does not definitively prove that either one of them is lying, or shading the truth in any way.

But it does seem odd that this medal has been left out of all of the accounts so far.

(Thanks to Kerry Spot reader Lars for noticing this.)

[cricket]

["I just posted this on another thread - who is Helen Rassmann? Jim's ex-wife?

Why would the two of them (living in different states) both contribute $1000 to the Lurch Campaign on the same day (3-20-04)?

Doesn't that seem a bit strange?

opensecrets.org - Rassmann

]

Have wondered if anyone did a check on the financial situations of these supporters. Thinking maybe his kids might need some money for college of something; but this is an interesting find; and curious.

[The Old Hoosier]

Yeah, but this could reveal a major inconsistency in Kerry's story. Or it could bolster his case for what happened that day.

How was Rassmann wounded?

[Tamzee]

Wow... Rassmann got a Purple Heart that same day though he never mentions it or any injury in all his "Kerry SAVED me" stories and Rassmann is also the one who admits he put Kerry in for the very suspicious Silver Star turned Bronze. This could really prove collusion between Rassmann and Kerry and show that the other medals are frauds, too, just as the Swifties have been stating.

Could someone do a Freedom of Info Act on Rassmann's Purple Heart citation for that day?

[True Republican Patriot]

So we were really going for TWO SILVER STARS, and one got demoted to a Bronze Star. What Medals did Rassmann get beside the PH?

[F-117A]

"the boat made a high speed turn to starboard and the Green Beret kept going - straight into the river."

Unless this is a different incident, the turn would have had to been to port. As Kerry was passing the fishing wier he was on the right side of the river, a turn to starboard would have put him into the riverbank. Also, Rassman was on the starbord side of the boat, a turn to port would have been need for Rassman to go straight ahead into the river.

[Republic]

Post #103

[Tamzee]

Here is the document showing Rassmann was awarded a Purple Heart for injury stemming from action on March 13, 1969

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1200176/posts?page=64#64

[ravinson]

You've raised a good point about one of the many doubtful aspects of Kerry's Bronze star tale. Here's another one from Doug Brinkley's hit piece on Steve Gardner:

"Every sailor who served under Lieutenant John Kerry on Swift boats PCF-44 and PCF-94 have gushed about his poise under enemy fire. They tell stories of his rescuing a Green Beret from drowning..."

Is Brinkley asserting that a Vietnam War Green Beret couldn't swim to shore or one of five boats on the river? That's quite an insulting thing to say about Rassmann.

[kabar]

WOW. That is interesting. Rassmann surfaced during the Iowa primaries, which were a little earlier. I sure as hell think it is strange that they both would contribute the same amount on the same day even though they are divorced. The press should be made aware of this or at least the RNC.

[kabar]

Unbelievable. I gather he received a Bronze Star the same day as well.

[RottiBiz]

He was a passenger just for that day.

I believe all of the boats had Special Forces and pro-Vietnamese merceneries on their boats that day.

"Unfit For Command" is extremely well-documented and, according to the author, John O'Neill, there are least two eye-witness accounts for everything in the book.

"During the incident, Jim Rassmann had fallen or been knocked off either Kerry's boat or PCF 35. When he was spotted in the water, Chenoweth's boat, with the PCF 3 crew aboard, went to pick him up. Kerry's boat, returning to the scene after its flight, reached him about twenty yards before Chenoweth." p. 91

[RasterMaster]

Did he get a Purple Heart for losing his chocolate-chip cookie?

[mtntop3]

' Just getting knocked off the boat wouldn't ordinarily count toward a PH. But, hell, this was Kerry's boat and so different standards were in effect. Both Kerry's and Rasmann's files need to be opened for inspection. '

Affirmative on that. Indeed. Rassmann is the one insisting there was enemy weapon-firing during this instance. The Swift Boat Vets state there was none. A PH for Rassmann could have been tied by Kerry to the mine explosion, or by Kerry to the purported enemy weapon-firing. Kerry was an imaginative writer, as we are rapidly learning. In any case, it appears that Rassmann may assuredly have a vested interest in Kerry's account(s). As far as possible additional payback is concerned, that could be post-election in the form of, say, an appointment to a post in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

[x1stcav]

The good Senator turns out to have a very corruptive streak in him. In 'Unfit for Command', which I have just finished, there is a allusion to Kerry promising his crew 'medals all around' after a certain operation.

Some of the crew remembered this and some didn't.

[RasterMaster]

Dole got wounded when someone threw a grenade and bounced off a tree. Kerry's "incident" with Rassman happened on Dec. 2, 1968 but waited till the XO was replaced. Original XO had turned Kerry down for a Purple Heart.

[supercat]

Why should we not go after Rassmann? He is supposed to have offered his support to john kerry's campaign after being a lifelong Republican. He is part of a very small group of folks who prop up kerry's house of cards. If kerry is a fraud and a traitor, then Rassmann is probably a liar. We have given him the benefit of the doubt because he is a vet. Tom Harkin is a vet, John Hurley is a vet, Max Cleland. Why should we believe Rassmann's version of the story?

It is likely that Rassmann's version of accounts is inaccurate, but that would not imply that Rassman was a liar. He probably didn't know exactly what was going on when he was knocked into the water, but could tell that there was lots of shooting going on and had no interest in staying about water long enough to determine where it was coming from. It would be entirely reasonable under such circumstances to have believed himself to be in much greater danger than he actually was, and thus to believed that Kerry saved his life.

I would expect that such a gut-felt "debt of gratitude" could easily be strong enough to overpower more rational judgements, but would not impugn the honesty of someone for whom that was the case.

[mtntop3]

1) Rassmann has on his own initiative become an active, political advocate of Kerry. He has thus placed himself in the public realm as an advocate - more than a disinterested witness. He has qualified himself for a reasonable and proper inquiry by the general public into his background and actions.

2) I, too, find the $1,000 contributions (each) by James A. Rassmann and Helen H. Rassmann on 3/20/04 of interest. That is a lot of money for most people. It would be expected that this would be explained by stating something like, "We have always appreciated Sen. Kerry saving my life, and consequently want to help his campaign."

This assumes that the contributors had $2000.00 readily available. For an idea of this, one would have to have an idea of the specific financial situation at that time of these contributors. I recall someone stating that James Rassmann had retired while in his 50's...

Two $1000.00 contributions each would, I believe, total one-half of the permitted campaign contribution. They would thus be permitted another $1000.00 each. This, again, is a lot of money, from someone who - even if he did not make any financial contribution - has been a large asset to Kerry; and who seemingly would not find it necessary to contribute even a cent.

[claudiustg]

---Affirmative on that. Indeed. Rassmann is the one insisting there was enemy weapon-firing during this instance. The Swift Boat Vets state there was none. ---

The guys on Kerry's boat claim they were fired on that day. It's on Kerry's DVD, "Brother's in Arms".

[TomasUSMC]

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[mass55th]

Isn't it interesting that Kerry mistakenly called Lambeau Field, Lambert Field when he visited there yesterday. And isn't is even more interesting that just today, a new vet came out in support of Kerry having been under fire on March 13, 1969. And guess what his name is? That's right! Lambert. Must be Kerry had Lambert on the brain.