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2004-04-05 Home Front: Politix
B.G. Burkett: Navy Commanders to Cast Doubt on Kerry’s War Record
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Posted by Bill Nelson 2004-04-05 8:20:17 AM|| || Front Page|| [11128 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 the purple hearts were one thing

what about the silver star; is that medal in question also?
Posted by mhw 2004-04-05 9:47:12 AM||   2004-04-05 9:47:12 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 It will be interesting to see what emerges on the silver star.

My understanding is that the actions for which he submitted his own citation were not directly witnessed by anyone else. However, I've not been following the details of this carefully - Super Hose, you have any comments???
Posted by rkb  2004-04-05 9:53:07 AM||   2004-04-05 9:53:07 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 With any luck the purple heart thing will force Kerry to open up his war record.

This will cast a doubt about Skerry's much vaulted 'war record' (he was in Vietnam you know...).
Posted by CrazyFool  2004-04-05 9:54:02 AM||   2004-04-05 9:54:02 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 mhw

Some people have analyzed the action leading to the Silver Star and found that the action was less admirable: in fact a series of blunders and bravado who put his ship and crew in nedless danger.

But now consider this: there were only four witnesses, all of them were subordinate to Kerry and all of them got a Bronze Star thanks to Kerry testimony.
Posted by JFM  2004-04-05 10:08:48 AM||   2004-04-05 10:08:48 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 JFM-

"Some people have analyzed the action leading to the Silver Star and found that the action was less admirable: in fact a series of blunders and bravado who put his ship and crew in nedless danger..."

FWIW, Bill Clinton managed to get a CMOH approved for Theodore Roosevelt for the fight at San Juan Hill (Clinton's aim was to get the Roosevelt family, still active in Democratic politics in NY, on Algore's side for 2000). TR's actions that day - while brave - resulted in the loss of more than a few US soldiers. Seems he didn't want to wait for orders to advance and kept inching the regiment forward under fire. Had he not charged, the Rough Riders may well have been pushed back past their starting point.
Up until the last few days, I had never agreed with Kerry's politics, but I always had some respect for the man's service. It's now starting to appear that he emulated his idol Kennedy in more ways than one, right down to the decoration for getting his backside in a crack.

Mike
Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2004-04-05 10:55:55 AM||   2004-04-05 10:55:55 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 J - W's national guard records were demanded.

Kerry won't release his med records.
Posted by Anonymous2U 2004-04-05 11:22:25 AM||   2004-04-05 11:22:25 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 I can't vouch for the truthfullness of this but according to 2 accounts I read about John Kerry's Silver Star award he apparently jumped out of his boat and shot a VC who had already been hit by 50 calibre machine gun fire. He claimed the VC was aiming his weapon at the people in the boat.
1. You did not leave your boat for any reason. This action puts not only yourself at uneeded risk but your crew mates as well.
2. I have seen first hand what happens to a human body hit by 50 Cal. fire and there is usually not much left. It just seems a bit hard to believe that a VC who had been hit could still get up.
Posted by Deacon Blues 2004-04-05 11:57:36 AM||   2004-04-05 11:57:36 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 Kerry's leather bomber jacket has a patch on it. Has he been doing mssions over Iraq?

I also heard that the 3 purple heart thing made his early exit out of VN possible. Not sure whether that rule was true or not. Anybody?
Posted by Lucky 2004-04-05 1:32:42 PM||   2004-04-05 1:32:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 true - he applied for early exit - after (IIRC) 5 months
Posted by Frank G  2004-04-05 1:38:47 PM||   2004-04-05 1:38:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Silver Star? Other than the Purple Heart, I didn't think you could submit reccomendations for yourself. Had to be submitted by your CO, didn't it?
Posted by mojo 2004-04-05 1:43:03 PM||   2004-04-05 1:43:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Good. The crazies will earn their appelation over this one.

mojo - commendations received by units / individuals reflects positively on their commander...
Posted by .com 2004-04-05 1:57:38 PM||   2004-04-05 1:57:38 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 mojo

Two other points (but I warn they could be inspitred by Anti-Kerry passion).

1) Kerry was very well connected. An ambitious commanding officer could want to reward that mere lieutenant who was so close to influential Democrats to be admitted on John Fitgerald Kennedy's yacht.

2) At that time Kerry wasn't rich for the standards of his family ie the Forbes. But he
was rich compared to the four sailors who were the only witnesses in the action who got Kerry a Silver Star (and a Bronze Star for them).

Please, I have no proof and I reiterate I am biased. Just that my trust on medals is higher when they are awarded to Lieutenant Peniless Smith.
Posted by Anonymous4029 2004-04-05 2:25:13 PM||   2004-04-05 2:25:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Here is a copy of Kerry's Silver Star citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Coastal Division ELEVEN engaged in armed conflict with Viet Cong insurgents in An Xuyen Provence, Republic of Vietnam on 28 February, 1969. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY was serving as Officer in Charge of Patrol Craft Fast 94 and Officer in Tactical Command of a three boat mission. As the force approached the target area on the narrow Dong Chung River, all units came under intense automatic weapons and small arms fire from an entrenched enemy force less that fifty-feet away. Unhesitatingly Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY ordered his boat to attack as all units opened fire and beached directly in front of the enemy ambushers this daring and courageous tactic surprised the enemy and succeeded in routing a score of enemy soldiers. The PCF gunners captured many enemy weapons in the battle that followed. On a request from U.S. Army advisors ashore, Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY ordered PCF's 94 and 23 further up river to suppress enemy sniper fire. After proceeding approximately eight hundred yards, the boats were again taken under fire from a heavily foliated area and B-40 rocket exploded close aboard PCF 94: with utter disregard for his own safety and the enemy rockets, he again ordered a charge on the enemy, beached his boat only ten feet from the VC rocket position, and personally led a landing party ashore in pursuit of the enemy. Upon sweeping the area an immediate search uncovered an enemy rest and supply area which was destroyed. The extra ordinary daring and personal courage of Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY in attacking a numerically superior force in the face of intense fire were responsible for the highly successful mission. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Beached boats twice under fire and led a charge? I smell a fine ripe French cheese.
Posted by Steve  2004-04-05 4:03:42 PM||   2004-04-05 4:03:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 As I said before, you don't beach your boat and go ashore. You lose all the advantages of manuver and become a sitting duck. Your boat can't leave until you are back aboard and if you become a casuality while ashore you expose the rest of your crew mwmbers to unnecessary danger. I don't remember exactly how many crew members a boat has but I don't think it's above 6 or 8.
Posted by Deacon Blues 2004-04-05 4:18:01 PM||   2004-04-05 4:18:01 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 Agreed, Deacon. First order of buisness: clear the ambush. That's doctrine. You will probably be going back in, but not until the AF guys give it a good pasting. Napalmolive treatment.
Posted by mojo  2004-04-05 5:36:05 PM||   2004-04-05 5:36:05 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 Bogus war record or not, what we really need to focus on his Kerry's ongoing love afair with the radical left which continues to this very day.
Posted by badanov  2004-04-05 6:42:37 PM|| [http://www.rkka.org]  2004-04-05 6:42:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 The blogs, like this one, will carry the story. So will talk radio. But the mainstream media? Hah! They will spike it as usual.
Posted by VRWconspiracy 2004-04-05 7:09:42 PM||   2004-04-05 7:09:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#18 Well guys you could all write to your Congressmen. This won't stay under the radar forever. There are going to be a couple of large marches this summer by NAM Vets against Kerry. I'd love to see a hundred thousand turn out in DC and Boston. Yes I'm going before anyone asks.
Posted by Bill Nelson  2004-04-05 8:02:59 PM||   2004-04-05 8:02:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#19 Late 2005, conversation overheard in a smoky bar: "who is this "Kerry" you speak of?"
Posted by Hyper 2004-04-05 10:09:57 PM||   2004-04-05 10:09:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#20 When a Commander of an independent command is submitted for a medal, usually his XO would draft it. In this case Kerry probably drafted it.
Posted by Super Hose  2004-04-05 11:22:06 PM||   2004-04-05 11:22:06 PM|| Front Page Top

23:57 Zenster
23:57 Zenster
23:54 Zenster
23:54 Zenster
23:30 Zenster
23:30 Zenster
01:24 Frank
01:24 Frank
01:22 James TROLL
01:11 Baker TROLL
09:08 rkb
04:55 Super Hose
03:48 Pete Stanley
03:17 Super Hose
02:54 Murat
01:15 .com
01:06 .com
00:52 Alaska Paul on the Road
00:39 cingold
00:24 WhiteHouseDetox
00:18 ex-lib
00:17 Zenster
00:13 phil_b
00:04 Alaska Paul on the Road









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