Quote from "Unfit for Command"
 

According to Kerry, the action started early in the morning, around2 or 3 a.m., when it was still dark. Here are Kerry’s words, quoted by Brinkley:

The jungle closed in on us on both sides. It was scary as hell. You could hear yourself breathing. We were almost touching the shore. Suddenly, through the magnified moonlight of the infrared “starlight scope,” I watched, mesmerized, as a group of sampans glided in toward the shore. We had been briefed that this was a favorite crossing area for VC trafficking contraband.

Kerry reports that he turned off the motor and paddled the Boston Whaler out of the inlet into the bay. Then he saw the Vietnamese pull their sampans onto the beach; they began to unload something. Kerry decided to light a flare to illuminate the area. The entire sky seemed to explode into daylight. The men from the sampans bolted erect, stiff with shock for only an instant before they sprang for cover like a herd of panicked gazelles [Kerry] had once seen on TV’s “Wild Kingdom.” We opened fire . . . The light from the flares started to fade, the air was full of explosions. My M-16 jammed, and as I bent down in the boat to grab another gun, a stinging piece of heat socked into my arm and just seemed to burn like hell. By this time one of the sailors had started the engine and we ran by the beach, strafing it. Then it was quiet.


WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
The truth is that at the time of this incident Kerry was an officer in command (OinC) under training, aboard the skimmer using the call sign “Robin” on the operation, with now-Rear Admiral William Schachte using the call sign “Batman,” who was also on the skimmer. After Kerry’s M-16 jammed, Kerry picked up an M-79 grenade launcher and fired a grenade too close, causing a tiny piece of shrapnel (one to two centimeters) to barely stick in his arm. Schachte berated Kerry for almost putting someone’s eye out. There was no hostile fire of any kind, nor did Kerry on the way back mention to PCF OinC Mike Voss, who commanded the PCF that had towed the skimmer, that he was wounded. There was no report of any hostile fire that day (as would be required), nor do the records at Cam Ranh Bay reveal any such hostile fire. No other records reflect any hostile
fire. There is also no casualty report, as would have been required had there actually been a casualty.

Following “the most frightening night” of his life, to the surprise of both Schachte and the treating doctor, Louis Letson, Kerry managed to keep the tiny hanging fragment barely embedded in his arm until he arrived at sickbay a number of miles away and a considerable time later, where he was examined by Dr. Letson. Dr. Letson, who has never forgotten the experience, reported it to his Democratic county chairman early in the 2004 primary campaign. When Kerry appeared
at sickbay, Dr. Letson asked, “Why are you here?” in surprise, observing Kerry’s unimpressive scratch. Kerry answered, “I’ve been wounded by hostile fire.” Accompanying crewmen then told Dr. Letson that Kerry had wounded himself. Dr. Letson used tweezers to remove the tiny fragment, which he identified as shrapnel like that from an M-79 (not from a rifle bullet, etc.), and put a small bandage on Kerry’s arm. The following morning Kerry appeared at the office of Coastal Division 14 Commander Grant Hibbard and applied for the Purple Heart. Hibbard, who had learned from Schachte of the absence of hostile fire and self-infliction of the “wound” by Kerry himself, looked down at the tiny scratch (which he said was smaller than a rose thorn prick) and turned down the award since there was no hostile fire.

What a Hero. Err uhhh ZERO, yeah thats it ZERO!http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/wat3.gif

Kerry’s proponents have also pointed to a fitness report for Kerry
that was filed by Hibbard rating Kerry “excellent” as proof that
Kerry’s service in Cam Ranh was unusually good. In reality, the Kerry
fitness report (which leaves fourteen of the eighteen categories,
including “integrity,” marked “unobserved”) is a marginal report.
Hibbard has stated that he wished to provide in the report a mediocre
evaluation without permanently destroying Kerry, given his short
four-week period of evaluation. At the time the report was made, Hibbard
did not know of Kerry’s later-finagled first Purple Heart.

He got him a boeboe

“I tried to fight the change—not because we wanted to stay in
An Thoi and be shot at, but because we didn’t want to have to
move and resettle again,” Kerry noted. “Our mail was already
lost, and the trip back against the monsoon seas promised to be
nothing but a *****. It was just that.”18
THE REAL REASON KERRY WAS REASSIGNED
When they got to An Thoi, Kerry continued to object to his placement
in this dangerous assignment against his will, so much so that
he was given routine offshore patrols not involving any possibility of
action until Coastal Division 11 could figure out a way to get rid of
him. Within a week, Kerry was transferred to Coastal Division 13,
headquartered near the former French resort town of Vung Tau. While
Coastal Division 13 had been involved in substantial action, it was
less than what Kerry avoided by his transfer. What his fellow Swiftees
concluded was that Kerry had a very high regard for his own wellbeing
and very little nerve for facing serious combat.

Just out of curiousity, when you have whatever -- a half inch? -- of metal sticking out of your arm, do you assume there's no more than a fraction of an inch in your arm?

I guess Kerry would have had to have had x-ray vision to know the total size of the shrapnel piece.

And I guess that those of you who have never been in the military would not know that purple hearts are awarded for all injuries in a combat zone? Getting a piece of shrapnel in your arm doesn't qualify as a self-inflicted wound unless you jam it in yourself. It's called 'friendly fire' if in fact, that's what it was.

If you read up on Hibbard, he has changed his story since writing glowing fitness reports on Kerry at the time. i wonder if he's recalling correctly...?

-----------
In a fitness report dated Jan. 8, 1969, Hibbard said Kerry "has had a most demanding job" and said he found him as someone who would be "most valuable" to the Navy officer corps. The Kerry campaign has posted all of the documentation for his medals and the fitness reports on its Web site, www.johnkerry.com.
------------

http://www.purpleheart.org/Awd_of_PH.htm

"a. The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of an Armed Force or any civilian national of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after 5 April 1917, has been wounded or killed, or who has died or may hereafter die after being wounded
(1) In any action against an enemy of the United States.

(2) In any action with an opposing armed force of a foreign country in which the Armed Forces of the United States are or have been engaged.

(3) While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

(4) As a result of an act of any such enemy of opposing armed forces.

(S) As the result of an act of any hostile foreign force.

(6) After 28 March 1973, as a result of an international terrorist attack against the United States or a foreign nation friendly to the United States, recognized as such an attack by the Secretary of the Army, or jointly by the Secretaries of the separate armed Services concerned if persons from more than one service are wounded in the attack.

(7) After 28 March 1973, as a result of military operations while serving outside the territory of the United States as part of a peacekeeping force."

"b. While clearly an individual decoration, the Purple Heart differs from all other decorations in that an individual is not "recommended" for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria.

(2) A wound is defined as an injury to any part of the body from an outside force or agent sustained under one or more of the conditions listed above A physical lesion is not required, however, the wound for which the award is made must have required treatment by a medical officer and records of medical treatment for wounds or injuries received in action must have been made a matter of official record."

"(b) Individuals wounded or killed as a result of "friendly fire" in the "heat of battle" will be awarded the Purple Heart as long as the "friendly" projectile or agent was released with the full intent of inflicting damage or destroying enemy troops or equipment."

Nothing the Swift Boat Against Kerry crew has said seems to contradict this. It seems to be more of a general arguement by the doctor-with-the-photographic-memory that the Purple Heart is a lame a$$ award, therefore Kerry shouldn't have bothered accepting it?

This whole Purple Heart thing bores me to tears. What with Kerry refusing to shut up about it & his detractors claims that he fraudulently stole the medals. :rolleyes:

I didn't read anything about boeboe's in that.

You missed the point by a few light years. The reason that the MEN that seved w/ Kerry look down on him for this is because they regularly got nicks & cuts but only a p*ssy like kerrey would apply for a purple heart under those circumstances.

Funny, nobody is accusing GWB of stealing his "awards."

Disqualified from flying

Not observed on base

I guess if you have nothing of value, how you got it is irrelevant.

This is simple. Kerry & the dems are scared *****less of Skerry's senate record so they are running him on his Viet Nam record. But it turns out that the whole thing is a sham & a lie. So why should you vote for him? Oh yeah, he's net Bush. See post on Carmen Electra.

err..... so thats the point? That he was a p*ssy in battle & liked to apply for medals 35 years ago, therefore unfit to lead the country today?

My my..the pettiness.......

Sounds like the fog is lifting Ubiq. Heep up the good work.

If Mr. Kerry is all that and some than why does he talk out both sides of his mouth? He never once talks about his record as a US senator all he seems to push is his military history. I watched the DNC with open ears and he didn't seem like a proud american only a robot of the party.....Strange????



George

You're right. The President needs to be a real man who would have amputated his own mangled limb in battle & laughed off attempts to recognise his outstanding bravery:

Russert: But you didn't volunteer or enlist to go.

President Bush: No, I didn't.

“MEET THE PRESS WITH TIM RUSSERT”
INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
THE OVAL OFFICE, FEBRUARY 7, 2004

Are there photos?

Did Nader go to Vietnam?

Ubiq said:
"You're right. The President needs to be a real man who would have amputated his own mangled limb in battle & laughed off attempts to recognise his outstanding bravery"

Like Bill Clinton?

Bill Clinton dodged Vietnam. There was plenty of media coverage of this.