Admiral disputes Kerry's account of wound

[fintstone]

Admiral speaks out, disputes Kerry's account of 1st wound

August 27, 2004

BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

NEW YORK -- Retired Rear Adm. William L. Schachte Jr. said Thursday in his first on-the-record interview about the swift boat veterans dispute that "I was absolutely in the skimmer" in the early morning on Dec. 2, 1968, when Lt. (j.g.) John Kerry was involved in an incident that led to his first Purple Heart.

"Kerry nicked himself with a M-79 [grenade launcher]," Schachte said in a telephone interview from his home in Charleston, S.C. He said, "Kerry requested a Purple Heart."

Schachte, a lieutenant, said he was in command of the small boat called a Boston whaler or skimmer, with Kerry aboard in his first combat mission in the Vietnam War. The third crew member was an enlisted man, whose name Schachte did not remember.

Two enlisted men who appeared at the podium with Kerry at the Democratic National Convention in Boston have asserted that they were alone in the small boat with Kerry, with no other officer present. Schachte said it "was not possible" for Kerry to have gone out alone so soon after joining the swift boat command in late November 1968.

Kerry supporters said no critics of the Democratic presidential nominee ever were aboard a boat with him in combat. Washington lawyer Lanny Davis has contended that Schachte was not aboard the Boston whaler and says the statement that Schachte was aboard in Unfit for Command undermines that critical book's credibility.

Schachte until now has refused to speak out publicly on this question and agreed to give only two interviews. One was a television interview with Lisa Meyers of NBC News, for broadcast Thursday night. The second was a print interview with me, for publication today.

Schachte described the use of the skimmer operating very close to shore as a technique that he personally designed to flush out enemy forces so that the larger swift boats could move in. Around 3 a.m. on Dec. 2, Schachte said, the skimmer -- code-named "Batman" -- fired a hand-held flare. He said that after Kerry's M-16 rifle jammed, the new officer picked up the M-79 and, "I heard a 'thunk.' There was no fire from the enemy," he said.

Patrick Runyon and William Zaladonis are the two enlisted men who said they were aboard the skimmer and did not know Schachte. However, two other former officers interviewed Thursday confirmed that Schachte was the originator of the technique and always was aboard the Boston whaler for these missions.

Grant Hibbard, who as a lieutenant commander was Schachte's superior officer, confirmed that Schachte always went on these skimmer missions and said, "I don't think he [Kerry] was alone" on his first assignment. Hibbard said he had told Kerry to "forget it" when he asked for a Purple Heart.

Ted Peck, another swift boat commander, said, "I remember Bill [Schachte] telling me it didn't happen" -- that is, Kerry getting an enemy-inflicted wound. He said it would be "impossible" for Kerry to have been in the skimmer without Schachte.

"I was astonished by Kerry's version" [in his book Tour of Duty] of what happened Dec. 2, Schachte said Thursday. When asked to support the Kerry critics in the swift boat controversy, Schachte said, "I didn't want to get involved." But he said he gradually began to change his mind when he saw his own involvement and credibility challenged, starting with Davis on CNN's "Crossfire" on Aug. 12.

The next time he saw Kerry after the first Purple Heart incident, Schachte said, was "about 20 years" later on the U.S. Senate subway in the basement of the Russell Senate Office Building. "I called, 'Hey, John.' He replied, 'Batman.' I was absolutely amazed by his memory." He said they "talked about having lunch" but never did it.

Schachte said he never has been contacted by or talked to anybody in the Bush-Cheney campaign or any Republican organization. He said he has been a political independent who votes for candidates of both parties.

[cowtown]

Just saw him on "Hardball." There's something going on here, and the Adm. is the most credible witness so far, IMO.

Buchannan had a point a couple days ago: if there was hostile fire from the shore, why did none of the boats need ANY repair? Not even one window was cracked.

[Mulholland]

The next time he saw Kerry after the first Purple Heart incident, Schachte said, was "about 20 years" later on the U.S. Senate subway in the basement of the Russell Senate Office Building. "I called, 'Hey, John.' He replied, 'Batman.' I was absolutely amazed by his memory."
Guilty conscience more like...I am sure Kerry's treasonous activities and fraudulent heroism are what makes him wake up screaming...cause it certainly aint seeing the horror of war.

[Moneyguy1]

Lousy shots?

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
Lousy shots?

LOL!!!

But did Kerry inhale?

[island911]

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
Lousy shots?

Ha

I'm fairly certain that the next kerry revision will be;
"None of my swift boat where targeted by the large amount of VC fire. As the VC, on both shores, were making witness to my heroism, they immediately ignored the big boats, and focused all of their fire at me. I made like the guys in the movie matrix, and simultainiously rescued my poor fallen soldier, while avoiding all bullets in such a way, that they passed to both sides of the shore, killing and wounding the VC, their dogs, women, children. . .and because they were using tracer rounds, their villages were also set ablaze."

That ought to explain it all.

[fintstone]

Guess they could not buy the admiral off. He make Kerry seem more like Gomer Pyle or Barney Fife than an actual war hero. First he is not competent to go out alone in charge of the small boat, then he manages to jam his M-16, for some reason, he does not automatically clear the jam (probably did not know how), but picked up an M-79 and promptly shoots a nearby rock that is so close that the fragments injure him.....all without any enemy fire. I wonder if he crapped his pants at the same time? Then had the nerve to come back and apply for a purple heart. No wonder that everyone in the chain of command turned it down and he had to reapply later from Siagon where there were no witnesses to contradict his lies. Some war hero!.....LOL

[techweenie]

Odd. so the three people known to be on the 'skimmer' weren't aware of this Schachte character, but you're going to take his word 36 years later that he was not only present but commanded a specific action?

There is so little that isn't elsewhere contradicted in the Swifites stories, and this is the weakest of them all.

Yeah Tech,
Most Admirals and Generals that I know (my brother in law is a 2 star) get to that position by way of their dim wit, and dishonest nature.

[fintstone]

So you think they sent the "green" Lt out to "lead" his first mission alone with 2 enlisted guys...even though that was not the policy at the time? Guess they musta known that he was destined for greatness. Apparently you don't believe the rest of the chain of command and the doctor who collaborate the Admiral's story. Why do you suppose they turned down Kerry's request for a purple heart then?

[island911]

Thanks for the try at a retort, tech. (truely) But, weak!

There comes a time in an argument (that is not going your way) when you've got to choose to either conceed, or risk looking really foolish.

So. . what I'm saying is; SAY UNCLE!

[techweenie]

Originally posted by Mark Wilson
Yeah Tech,
Most Admirals and Generals that I know (my brother in law is a 2 star) get to that position by way of their dim wit, and dishonest nature.

Sorry to hear it. I thought that was just the Commander-in-Chief.

[techweenie]

Originally posted by fintstone
So you think they sent the "green" Lt out to "lead" his first mission alone with 2 enlisted guys...even though that was not the policy at the time?

I think you'd better read up on what the two crewmen have said about it before you go any farther out on a limb.

[lendaddy]

Tech,

I can see this stuff is really getting to ya, I suggest a night out with the wife, martini's and good food. Just forget about it for a while. Oh yea, the Former Navy Secretary John Lehman says he never wrote or signed Kerry's citation for the Silver Star. Hmm.... Here's another qoute for ya to forget about tonight.

"It is a total mystery to me. I never saw it. I never signed it. I never approved it. And the additional language it contains was not written by me," he said.


Martinis man, lots of em

[on-ramp]

we're arguing about what happened 35 years ago. how pathetic is that?

instead, let's talk about the number of innocent people that have been killed since Bush illegally invaded and exercised military aggression against Iraq.

[Mulholland]

Anyone ever believe the lie that Republicans are thugs?...I have had many run ins with very very violent Democrats, but never what this guy experienced...(probably because I have about 100 pounds on him.

Punks for Kerry

Originally posted by techweenie
Sorry to hear it. I thought that was just the Commander-in-Chief.

Guess that's why he's the Prez and you are, what is it...peddling Porsches till this recession ends?

[on-ramp]

Originally posted by Mulholland
Anyone ever believe the lie that Republicans are thugs?...I have had many run ins with very very violent Democrats, but never what this guy experienced...(probably because I have about 100 pounds on him.

Punks for Kerry

he deserved it.....actually, a punch in the face is too light for anyone who supports Bush and his oil war cronies.

Originally posted by on-ramp
we're arguing about what happened 35 years ago. how pathetic is that?

instead, let's talk about the number of innocent people that have been killed since Bush illegally invaded and exercised military aggression against Iraq.

Why can't the children stay on subject?