Posted on 08/26/2004 10:59:02 AM PDT by 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.)
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Rasmann put Kerry in for his Silver Star. Does anyone else recall this?
There could be a very logical explanation here. When Kerry "tucked tail and ran", throwing Rassman overboard, Rassman could have struck his head on the side of the boat, or a rock, and caused his current mental condition. How else could you explain his blind support of Kerry?
Well it was an enemy mine. This is something we shouldnt delve into, attacking Kerry is one thing but to attack Rassman is another.
Well, I'm not sure. According to that Wall Street Journal article I link to above, "For his actions that day, I recommended John for the Silver Star, our country's third highest award for bravery under fire. I learned only this past January that the Navy awarded John the Bronze Star with Combat V for his valor." I can't tell whether he is suggesting that they overruled him and gave Kerry the Bronze Star that time or whether he's talking about two separate awards.
Fired by which side?
After re-reading that article by Rassman, shame on him for such an exaggerated story.
I don't know about Rassman's PH, but I have heard that Kerry's boat that day was one of the most decorated of the war. I had wondered how he got his "band of brothers" to stand behind him so consistently. I never thought they were being paid off, but they may be defending their own awards that they know somewhere deep in their heart that they didn't deserve. I would call that a powerful motivator that could really mess with your head.
I 90% agree with you. The only reason I disagree 10% is that, if it can be DEFINITIVELY proven that there is some sort of payback going on here, then that is a BIG scandal. But I do mean it must be DEFINITIVELY proven first, for political reasons.
I recall that for the river incident that Rassman did put Kerry in for the Silver Star, but the Navy brass (rightly) downgraded it to a Bronze Star.
The Silver Star incident was the "shoot the wounded VC" story.
Interesting find.
The service numbers look like social security numbers. In 71 I know mine was. For the privacy of the vets it would be good to black out the service numbers.
You are right, they should keep the fact checking under radar and out of site until it is explicitly proven beyond a doubt.
You know, I have to give Rassmann the benefit of the doubt on this story. I mean, he got blown off a boat, explosions and fire are around him, and he's underwater most of the time. He's disoriented and it may not have been obvious to him where the other boats were, or that the gunfire was coming from the boats and not shore.
I think it's reasonable that perhaps his own fear and/or adrenaline in the situation contributed to his exaggerated account of things. In other words, it is possible that he genuinely believes what he is saying, even if it is wrong.
Having said that, as I said above, IF it can be proven he is lying as some sort of payback for Kerry, it would be BIG news. But it would have to be DEFINITIVELY proven.
There was a report on KFI in LA that Rassman was asked to retire early from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department after a complaint was filed against him be a female department employee. He left when he was 41 or 42. I would think that might have something to do with why his wife is in a different state. I looked him up on opensecrets last weekend, so that must have been a recent report.
I wonder if Rasmann got any other decorations that day.
I concur, any slime bag can take ssn's and abuse them.
Somewhere I read that when he went into the water, he thought they were taking enemy fire. I don't think that was an unreasonable assumption. The other boat had just hit a mine and often, VC waited at waters' edges to shoot at mined boats. Instead, our men strafed the bank to prevent that. In the confusion, he may not have known who was shooting. Anyway, because he thought they were under enemy fire, he stayed under water as long as he could to stay hidden. I think that could account for honest confusion and why he still believes it to this day.
Bit on the butt by a river bass?
I'm not sure on this one, but I think it was a mutual thing. He put Kerry in and Kerry put him in. Bu__-Buddies.
I would lay good money on his Purple Heart being written up by one Lt. John F'in Kalley, War Criminal, as a little pre-payment for cooperation. Unless he was injured while being knocked off the boat when the mine exploded, I haven't heard anything about other Rassman having combat injuries on that day.
I've asked the mods to delete it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.