RICE ASSAULT, or (s)

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Rice ASSault:

[Ref: ToD p313]
“I got a piece of small grenade in my ass from one of the rice-bin explosions and then we started to move back to the boats, firing to our rear as we went,” Kerry related. “Once on the boats we moved full speed out of the zone, as we had been there for a dangerously long time now and the chance of something greeting us on exit was pretty good. My eyes still smarted and my throat was dry because Miggins had let off a gas grenade into a hooch and the wind had shifted and blown it down on us. I don’t know how one of us wasn’t shot by his own men when I consider how randomly we had been walking around in there—shooting and blowing things up.”[Location: Dong Cung Canal] [Date Ref: p303—March 13]

[COMMENT: This is an important passage in Brinkley’s book—Kerry’s quotes. The rice-bin was being destroyed. Who were throwing the grenades? If Kerry, the injury was self-inflicted; and no, that doesn’t mean he purposely “shot himself in the foot.” It means through his own actions, unrelated to enemy fire, Kerry was responsible for causing the resulting injury to himself.

That is the problem. He was close enough to get “riced” all over. (Picture a minor injury from smoking a cigarette in a dynamite shack—no Purple Heart, and you’re lucky you are alive. Picture tossing grenades into the rice-bin; and, like the potato chip commercial, you might not be able to stop with one----or, let only one person toss a single grenade.)]

IN THE MILITARY

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Mosul's cbftw (right link) is reading and getting plenty of exercise checking cars; Kommentariat (right link) is experiencing England.


Dave at Greenside might like to trade with cbftw or Kommentariat, but says:

"There are Marines who exit friendly lines everyday and commit acts of untold bravery that would inspire you as much as they humble me."

DAGGERJAG is working on Article 32 & 15 hearings. For those who have watched “JAG” (on TV) it’s easier to understand the job.


[COMMENT: We could not do what we do . . . without you; we are thankful for your service. Spread the word to all our soldiers. A HUGE BEAR-HUG (after shyly looking around to see if anyone's watching) and . . .Thank you! ]

"SWIFTEE JUSTICE" by MM

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http://www.michellemalkin.com/
Michelle Malkin [Noticed these sites:] · August 19, 2004 07:32 AM

The blogosphere has been teeming with great stuff on the Swift Boat Veterans, Kerry's Vietnam War record, and related matters. A few that stand out:

Captain's Quarters. Ed Morrissey raised questions about Kerry's first Purple Heart claims and the Washington Times editorial board picked up on the angle, asking "Was Kerry in combat on Dec. 2, 1968?"

Power Line. John Hinderaker and Scott Johnson penned a fantastic piece for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "Unwrapping Kerry's story of Christmas in Cambodia." Read about the reaction to the piece and follow-up here.

Prestopundit. Wall-to-wall-coverage of Kerry in Cambodia.
Patterico's Pontifications. Dogging the LA Times.

Hugh Hewitt at The Weekly Standard online has questions for Doug Brinkley.

Meanwhile, it looks like the Snopes entry on the Swift Boat Vets needs updating.

[COMMENT: Snopes isn’t current on the Swift controversy. Too bad, they have done well on other things.]

Cambodian Version (poem)

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‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
(Cambodian Version)
by Russ Vaughn (Vietnam ’65-’66)

The rest is at HORSEFEATHERS

I keep it tucked here, in this leather brief case,
Just sharing with the press its secretive place
As I regale them again with my senate refrain,
That Christmas in Cambodia is seared into my brain.

Don’t bother to quibble with history my friend,
By pointing out Johnson was President then.
Don’t listen to Swiftees who try to explain,
For I tell you that night is seared into my brain.

Thanks to: Kommentariat

SEALS & SWIFT by FROGGY

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FROGGYRUMINATIONS

Waterborne infiltrations done illegally into a "neutral" country if performed would be done by small groups of operators (less than 8), at night, in a small tributary, by a boat with a very shallow draft and jacuzzi, not propeller drive. To do otherwise, would be ridiculous.

via Hugh Hewitt


[Does it get better than a Seal telling us about the seals and the swift boats? Froggy seems surrounded by the Seal Society. Great new blogger! High ten, Froggy—you’re too good for the ordinary “high five!”]

MARCH 13, 1969 (s)

JOHN F. KERRY (Boston Globe) p105, 106—

105:
“On the morning of March 13, 1969, Rassmann was on a swift boat, following Kerry’s craft, as they headed up the Bai Hap River”.

106:
“The flotilla of approximately five swift boats was cruising along a narrow canal, with Kerry’s boat toward the front, when a mine detonated, throwing one of the crafts two feet into the air and knocking out its engine. In the swift boat behind it, Rassmann was eating a chocolate chip cookie in the pilothouse when his craft was also rocked by an explosion.”


BRINKLEYp314---

PCF 3: “Right where they had been hit on the earlier mission, a mine went off directly beneath PCF-3 just off Kerry’s port side.”

PCF 35: “At that instant, Army Lieutenant Jim Rassmann, who was on PCF-35, was blown overboard, although nobody knew it.”

PCF 51: “Larry Thurlow had maneuvered his PCF-51 over by this time, and he hopped aboard PCF-3 to offer assistance.”
Or PCF 53 (p300): “By March 12, 1969, Thurlow was off Vietnamese teaching duty and back in command of PCF-53, which was to participating in Mission 97 along with Lieutenants Droz, Kerry, and Bill Rood.” (Note: There is additional information about Mission 97, including the injury of Rood.)


Brinkleyp315—

PCF 94: “PCF-94 then moved in and attached a line to the wounded boat’s stern to try to tow PCF-3 out, but the tether snapped.”

[Brought forward]
Ref.--TOUR of DUTY, p317:3/12 BRONZE STAR KERRY DATA--

(…)(An Xuyen Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 13 March 1969, Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY was serving as an Officer-in-Charge of Inshore Patrol Craft 94, one of fie boats conducting a SEA LORDS operation in the Bay Hap River. While exiting the river, a mine detonated under another Inshore Patrol Craft and almost simultaneously, another mine detonated wounding Lieutenant (junior grade) in the right arm. In addition, all units began receiving small arms and automatic weapons fire from the river banks. When Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY discovered he had a man overboard, he returned upriver to assist. The man in the water was receiving sniper fire from both banks. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY directed his gunners to provide suppressing fire, while from an exposed position on the bow, his arm bleeding and in pain and with disregard for his personal safety, he pulled the man aboard. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY’s calmness, professionalism and great personal courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.(…)

FROM O'NEILL'S LETTER TO STATION MANAGERS:
"Each of these boat officers operated directly with John Kerry on numerous occasions. Van Odell (Exhibit 6) is a retired Navy enlisted man who also served in Coastal Division 11 on the Chenoweth boat, a few yards from John Kerry during Kerry's March 13, 1969 Bronze Star action."

ADD:
PCF XX:
JOHN CHENOWETH
VAN ODELL



[Bold--Emphasis mine. Is it possible to figure out who else was there, were there other boats. If John “Jack” Chenoweth was there, where was he? If Van O’Dell was there, where was he?]

---

PARTIAL PRELIMINARY CREW LISTS:

PCF 3:
Richard Pees LTJG
Kenneth Tryner (training?)
Earl Hollister GMG3
Leslie Vorphal RD3
X Wolfe GMG3
X Arp EN?

PCF 51 (or 53):
Larry Thurlow LT

PCF XX: John "Jack" Chenoweth; and Van Odell

PCF94 (brought forward from "Boat Boys")

JANUARY , 1969 - (48 days) MARCH , 1969

JOHN KERRY

EUGENE THORSON

DAVID ALSTON (+possibly still recovering)

DELBERT SANDUSKY

MICHAEL MEDERIOROS

TOM BELODEAU d.1997 (TOTAL 6)

FREDERIC SHORT (replacement)

CHARLES GIBSON (1 wk indoctrination)[Ref: JFK, Boston Globe, p103]

---

KERRY'S SWIFT COMPLAINT

CNN Blitzer:

Earlier today Blitzer asked whether or not Kerry would be filing a complaint with the FEC over the Swift Boat Ad. The answer was no.

Now, Blitzer is stating that Kerry will file a legal complaint with the FEC concerning the Ad.

This has "legs." Kerry is spending money to thwart the Swift Boat Challenges (according to the media in the past few days) and deminishing his "chest." [Remember Gary Hart (challenging the media) with some "monkey business"? Where were those journalists for the past four months? Where are the investigative journalists of the '70s, who turned the world upside down with "Watergate?"]

Here on the net, it is exciting. I visited Kerry's site, looked at some materials, and days later (looked again) some of those items were missing, some were blacked out. There are stories around the net that ordinary people are looking for "Unfit" and can't get it and rumors that somebody is talking to bookstores, trying to persuade them to do something about the problem of the "unfit" book. Then, there was the rumor that there was information in the Amazon.com blurb for one the books. They say that's gone now. Was it there, I don't know.

I do know that I caught the rumor of the passage in Kerry's journal. (I call it "not shot at yet.") There were plenty of people discussing it....then it was gone; disappeared from sight. Somebody forgot to tell me and I began to think I hadn't seen it. Then, I googled. Approximately 58 refs were there, but not much at the sites. The reference for the journal quote was Brinkley's book, but I hadn't been able to find it there. Mark that one up to...rumor.

There was a free offer for "Unfit", but you know how that goes. Buy a car, get a free whatsis. (In a "no free lunch" world, you have to watch your nickels.) I'm probably not going to be able to get the book soon, and not very concerned about it. I am more concerned about lack of "access" to material because others don't want you to read it.

Nobody wants to be "hornswoggled." [Hmm, maybe CaptainsQuartersBlog.com knows how to spell that one.]

SWIFT BOOK

IS (SWIFT)BOOK-BURNING NEXT?

Salon

It’s Trick Time! You can’t read the book if you can’t find the book:

Unfit for bookstores
The Kerry campaign calls on a conservative publisher to withdraw book after the Washington Post torpedoes the veracity of a Swift boat veteran.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
By Eric Boehlert
Aug. 19, 2004 |
The Kerry campaign has told Salon that the publisher of "Unfit for Command," the book that is at the center of the attack on Kerry's military record by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, is retailing a hoax and should consider withdrawing it from bookstores. "No publisher should want to be selling books with proven falsehoods in them, especially falsehoods that are meant to smear the military service of an American veteran," said Kerry campaign spokesman Chad Clanton. "If I were them, I'd be ducking under my desk wondering what to do. This is a serious problem."(…)

Yes Clanton, it is a “serious problem.” We, the people want to read the book; it’s already high on Lists throughout the country. There are difficulties getting the book.

Now, we know why!
(If I’m able to get the book, what’s next . . . book burning?)

MARCH 13, 1969

Ref.--TOUR of DUTY, p317:

3/12 BRONZE STAR KERRY DATA--

(…)(An Xuyen Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 13 March 1969, Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY was serving as an Officer-in-Charge of Inshore Patrol Craft 94, one of fie boats conducting a SEA LORDS operation in the Bay Hap River. While exiting the river, a mine detonated under another Inshore Patrol Craft and almost simultaneously, another mine detonated wounding Lieutenant (junior grade) in the right arm. In addition, all units began receiving small arms and automatic weapons fire from the river banks. When Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY discovered he had a man overboard, he returned upriver to assist. The man in the water was receiving sniper fire from both banks. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY directed his gunners to provide suppressing fire, while from an exposed position on the bow, his arm bleeding and in pain and with disregard for his personal safety, he pulled the man aboard. Lieutenant (junior grade) KERRY’s calmness, professionalism and great personal courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.(…)

THURLOW the PDFs (3)

GET THEM WHILE THEY’RE HOT: get them while they are still there!


If you are interested in the issues, save a copy of the PDFs. Of the ones on the net some have been disappearing; few are available in the first place.



Thurlow’s Award Recommendation pdf


Thurlow’s Citation Doc pdf


Thurlow’s Affidavit Doc pdf

"CAMBODIAN CANDIDATE"

CAMBODIAN CANDIDATE

Blankley

(…)Last week, the Kerry campaign released a statement asserting that: "During John Kerry's service in Vietnam, many times he was on or near the Cambodian border, and on one occasion crossed into Cambodia at the request of members of a special operations group operating out of Ha Tien ... Kerry's was not the only United States riverboat to respond and inadvertently or responsibly cross the border ... " In any event he was, as his campaign spokesman said last week, somewhere on the Mekong River, which separates Cambodia from Vietnam -- except that the Mekong does not separate those two countries; it crosses perpendicular to their border.

There is difficultry finding detailed maps---really good ones---of the Mekong Delta; but, the Mekong River has been big, and obvious on most of the maps. Guess it was an error . . .error. . .

(…)But the American political jungle is every bit as disorienting and suddenly lethal as the one he emerged from 30 years ago. John Kerry's tangled memory and war braggadocio has been mismanaged by him and his campaign team. They have given too many inconsistent answers, thus forcing the hand of major media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, U.S. News and World Report, Knight-Ridder and the Boston Globe to start reporting the story.
Even self-admitted Kerry supporter Joan Vennochi wrote in her Boston Globe column this week that: "Kerry's statements about Cambodia do have traction for opponents ... (his spokesmen's) answer aren't good enough. ... He should answer every question voters have about it -- and he should answer himself."

More Voters are starting to notice that Kerry is not answering the questions, himself. The supporters, and the staff, and the 527s are speaking, but not Kerry. The media looked the other way but is now starting to slowly focus on the problems. They don’t want to. They’ve tried not to. Now, it seems the media have to focus on Kerry’s talking vs. Kerry’s writings vs. the FACTS.

AWOL Media

POWERFUL from POWERLINE

Please don't miss our column in this morning's Star Tribune -- you know, the one with the live link to Power Line -- on John Kerry's Willard envy: "Unwrapping Kerry's story of Christmas in Cambodia."

Tip via: Captain's Quarters

Neither the influential mainstream newspapers nor the broadcast television networks have reported the meltdown of Kerry's Christmas in Cambodia story. Only readers of Internet blogs such as ours have kept current on the exposure of Kerry's tall tale. Or on the Kerry campaign's lame efforts to resurrect a version of the story that contradicts what Kerry has said for the past 25 years, but allows Kerry to continue using his Vietnam experiences, real and imagined, for his own political purposes.

Whatever the reason -- and we have our suspicions -- when it comes to scrutiny of Sen. Kerry's veracity, the mainstream media are saluting, but they are decidedly not reporting for duty.

The media has fed US a steady diet of chosen food. We are not getting the meat and vegetables—we’re getting the JUNK FOOD. And, when it came to the KERRY CHRISTMAS we were almost starved.

The media is AWOL; and, when present and accounted for . . . they aren't really on duty.



Don’t miss this one at Captain’s Quarters:

Did Kerry Admit To Falsifying His First Purple-Heart Report?

Captain and Crew have exploded PH1 and they did it with Kerry’s own words.
Kerry v. Kerry. . . .
Once again, Kerry dismantles his own false statements.

MELTDOWN LEVEL 1: Kerry's Cambodian Christmas
MELTDOWN LEVEL 2: Kerry's Purple Heart #1

THE SWIFT PUZZLE

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SWIFT PUZZLE
At this point, the only thing which does seem clear is that Kerry was not the OinC, Peck was. Peck was injured in that incident and did not return to PCF 94.

The "Brownwater" crews were sailing in the muddiest water we've seen in a few decades. Kerry may have been there 1/29/69, but on which boat--we don't know, yet.

To throw another challenge into the slop: There was another group who thought they were the "crew of PCF-94." LTJG Dan Salinas, Joe Muharsky, Barry Bogart, Larry Potter, Delmas Coates, Chris W..(Walon/Whelan?)Because "Christmas in Cambodia" didn't happen at Christmas, and we know that Christmas isn't in January; we are left with . . .well, let's call it "fudge #1"; but, he didn't command PCF-94 on Jan. 29, unless it was after the damage. The information appears to have been taken from Peck's data. We can call that f*#2. And then, we have Alston.

Who is the real Kerry.

Max Lane 08.16.04 - 4:07 pm [Comments section REDHUNTER--right link]

[material collection:]
While working on the Swift Boat matter, I’ve come to a conclusion. There is an incredible amount of material available on the net. There are some documents, there are bloggers with cites to websites with numerous articles. There are sagas written by vets about the actions on their Swift Boats. Like a Swift Boat Library where you can't see the material until you open the right book to the correct page.


But, there is difficulty with so much material. It’s similar to putting together a puzzle after you’ve discarded the picture. You don’t know the full picture until you can get the whole puzzle together. As you put it together, portions became clear. There is a pattern.

As the pieces are assembled you begin to suspect that it is an ether puzzle in a hologram. There were specifically numbered swift boats, specifically named people, specific events, and specific locations. The boats went from place to place, sometimes with different crews. The events usually involved the boats acting in a particular area; however, some boats were transferred from one area to another. There were crews who stayed together; and, there were personnel who filled in—which meant you must look carefully at additional personnel. And, a typical crew of an OinC plus five could also have an additional crewmember, plus passengers. The puzzle pieces are multi-faceted.

Challenges are interesting; mysteries are interesting. It’s being put together, piece by piece all over the net. While bloggers are searching for more information, some of the sites are disrupted, discontinued, suspended; and, information has disappear from Kerry’s site. Difficult to find the truth? Yes. Impossible, no.

On top of this (according to Instapundit) Oldtime Journalists are dissatisfied with blogging activities. Well Walter Cronkite, the new journalists can GIVE US THE FACTS; WE’LL PROVIDE THE OPINIONS. That should make the news coverage a bit more straight-forward. “Just the facts, ma’am!” (Joe Friday)

TWO STRIKES, Kerry

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GWB....................................................... JFK2

Born: July 6, 1946...................Born: December 11, 1943
ED: Yale ’68 .........................ED: Yale ‘66
Serv: TANG Hitch: 6y ..............Serv: USN Hitch: 3y
Early Release: 8m ...................Early Release: 6m
Combat: None-known ..............Combat: 4m 12d (approx.)
Requested Release ’73-’74?........Requested Release: 1/3/1970
Status: Served Country ............Status: Served Country
Label: accused “Deserter” ........Label: accused “Hero”
Records: Promised Release .......Records: Promised Release
Records Released...................Action: Records not released
Politics: Conservative .............Politics: Liberal

Bush is almost 3 years younger than Kerry. Both served their country.

Bush’s campaign: “WoT” Kerry’s campaign: Vietnam Service
Pres. Experience: 3+ years Pres. Experience: None

Throw a few things in here and there, take a few things out; they are fairly equal in the overall appearance.

But, there are 2 strikes on the record:
(1) Post Vietnam anti-war activities (demonstrations, statements)
(2) Wartime personal discussion with enemy representatives (actions, activities)

The BIG MARK in the campaign will be Kerry’s anti-war actions in the 1970s. The BIG MISTAKE in the Kerry Campaign may be the focus on Vietnam. While Bush opponents have taunted (for almost 4 years) about Bush’s military service; Kerry opponents are now taunting the Kerry Campaign to release the military records.

BUT, there is another problem. There are people who are opposed to KERRY. One of these groups is the SWIFT VETS FOR TRUTH. They seem to be for “anybody but Kerry.” This causes Democrats to view it as “you are either with us, or against us.” And, they are calling the organization “Swift Vets for Bush.” They see it as a Republican funded organization; but, isn’t it similar to MoveOn.org, which seems to feel it’s “anybody but Bush.”

To the Kerry Supporters, it was intolerable to hear “with us or against us” except in the Swift Vets situation. SEEMS HYPOCRITICAL!

Bush opponents forced records disclosure, without Bush campaigning on that issue; Kerry opponents do not force records disclosure, while Kerry is campaigning on military service. Now, the military service TRUTH is important.
SEEMS HYPOCRITICAL to conclude otherwise.

**Christmas in Cambodia** changed a few minds. Saying “maybe it was January” and “maybe it was **near** Cambodia” is causing people to think that maybe they can’t trust Mr. Kerry. On point, if it had been January, Christmas wasn’t **seared** into the brain and the repeated story became embellishment of the facts. If it wasn’t Christmas in Cambodia, and then it wasn’t Christmas . . . . . .and, it probably wasn’t Cambodia, either.

For Kerry (now) there are questions of HONOR, CHARACTER, and TRUTH.
If Kerry expects any votes (other than the usual Party-Lever-Pullers who will conduct the “quick-lever” vote until the day they die) he had better release the records. If not, even the “anybody but Bush” crowd may eventually see Kerry Warts.

To all of the “lesser of two evils” voters out there, the view changes if Kerry isn’t willing to sign the standard form “180” and release the records. Enough of changing the timelines, records disappearing from the website, threatening station managers, forcing IPs (as seems the case for one account “suspended”, and another with signs concerning too much bandwidth—which might mean targeted hits) and attacking fellow veterans (who are NOT RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.)

Enough of the attacks on O’Neill whose service closely resembles Kerry’s, even down to serving on the same Swift Boat in Vietnam. But, O’Neill was there much longer! And, O’Neill is not running for President of the United States.

Enough [of the notion that] you had to be on the boat--or you don’t count as a witness. If that were the case there would never be another witness called in any court in the land. The witness of the accident does not have to be in the car.

Sign the standard (180) form; release the records.

If not, there are two truths of life:

3 PURPLE HEARTS . . . YOU’RE OUT; &
3 STRIKES, . . . . . YOU’RE OUT.