Posted on 09/05/2004 7:29:43 AM PDT by Tacis
GREAT POST. And I hope you're right, because my wacky hypothesis would have spelled trouble for Bush. My suspicion was on something I'm all-too familiar with. Many servicemembers were 'sheep-dipped' which meant that they were discharged from the military for classified 'civilian' work. It could be that Kerry was tied up with U.S. Intel rather tightly and all this stuff he did in Vietnam could be, well, explained if only it wasn't still classified. If that were the case, then it could backfire on Bush if it somehow got declassified to clear his name. It could explain Cambodia (before my time, but I know that SOG was definitely in there way back early in the war). It could explain his 'extracurricular' activities stateside from about 70 to 73. Kinda spook stuff, but possible. The biggest problem with all this of course is the fact that so many people served with him in a non-classified role. But perhaps he could have been ship-dipped only after he returned stateside?
This is EXCELLENT work on your behalf!
The more I think about, I think you're on to something here. I think you're probably right. He probably went AWOL after taking leave stateside, started getting involved in protesting and had to be pardoned by that a$%-clown Carter.
Keep investigating. Great work.
Yes, but there are two types of DD214's. An UNDELETED Report of Separation and a DELETED Report of Separation.
You can select either, and here are the differences (per Standard Form 180):
UNDELETED VERSION: -- "This normally will be a copy of the full separation document including susch sensitive items as the character of separation, authority for separation, reason for separation, reenlistment code, separation (SPD/SPN) code, and dates of times lost. An undeleted version is ordinarily required to determine eligibility for benefits."
DELETED VERSION: -- "The following information will be deleted from the copy sent: authority for separation, reason for separation, reenlistment eligibility code, separation (SPD/SPN) code, and for separations after June 30, 1979, character of separation and time lost."
don't forget - Kerry was drafted - he was refused deferrment to school in Paris so he joined with the Naval Reserve (like the National Guard) in hopes of avoiding combat. When he was sent to Vietnam he chose swift boats because, at that time, they were not involved in any hostile activities. It was only thereafter that their mission changed and he was forced to serve in combat, something he whined and complained incessantly about for those 3 months he served, before getting his 3rd Purple Heart and bugging out 3 days later, arriving home in NYC "so heavily bandaged", his former fiance told Douglas Brinkley, she could see it stuffing out.
James Webb audio on NPR......disappointing, IMO
http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=3869115
you will need realplayer or WinMed-9
click "all things considered"......3 minutes or so
I didn't know that; I mean, that he was drafted. Jeez, I need to read that "Unfit for Command" book! Anyway, I think it would have had to been a violation of the "failed to report for drill" type since the pardon referred to was for draft card burners (and their various AWOL ilk). The early release was probably an early-out request, which is a standard but not well-known way of getting out of active duty early. I know they do it for college. If he were discharged from the USNR under LTH conditions, then the pardon would probably reverse that to Honorable.
ping......
Meant to ping you to this reply.
If Kerry was indeed an informant against the VVAW, the media will take a very unsympathtic view of it. With all their "hero candidadte" rhetoric, the left is really the most proud of Kerry trashing the US/military when he returned from Vietnam. They would NOT want him "working with" the "government." But if Kerry did, wouldn't it be just like him? Just another flip-flp and knife in the back of friends.
There are other traces that may be even more interesting... I'm speculating here, but at a bare minimum there should be an Article 32 investigation - with the attendant reports, transcripts, etc. that would normally be done in conjunction with any courts martial.
Someone, somewhere knows ALL about this. They will come forward before all this is over.
Rumor has it that Jean Fraude stocked up on medals at the PX so he had plenty to lob over the White House fence.
Bump
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