Unfit for Command
I just got through reading the Fake & Wannabe posting which is oddly appropriate since I just started reading the John Kerry story as told by Swift Boat Veterans. My question is this, has anyone on this forum served with Kerry or does anyone have any firsthand experience with the writers of the book?
Thank you for your input and above all, your service.
GH1[:)]
Thank you for your input and above all, your service.
GH1[:)]
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Just a tidbit:
"Bandaid" PH's were given out when I was [Corpsman] with the 4th, then 9th Marines. When I went back I was with Navy team N5/delta (MACV team 64) you required a hospital stay of at least 24 hours to be eligible for the PH.
I believe the "24 hour" rule started very late '68/early '69..don't quote me on that, however. Best, Joe0 -
Hmm, I never heard of such a rule. It may well have existed, somewhere, as a particular unit's policy. However, a hospital stay, clearly, according to the regulations, is not required for a PH.
If it was, thousands of guys would never have received a PH.
Doug0 -
quote:Originally posted by DougReese
Hmm, I never heard of such a rule. It may well have existed, somewhere, as a particular unit's policy. However, a hospital stay, clearly, according to the regulations, is not required for a PH.
If it was, thousands of guys would never have received a PH.
Doug
Don't feel too badly, I'm sure a lot of people aren't aware of this little "tidbit" mentioned by me.
Mine is 2nd hand information, gleaned just before I went to the Delta. The Info was from USN medical corps doctors in Bethesda that served up in I corps, and were putting on a slide show for us prior to deployment in '69. Perhaps the reg. was local (1st MARDIV)..because they were referencing Khe Sanh, Camp Carroll, hills 861, Con Tien, etc.
Also, what you say happened is true. I'm only referencing a change in policy, (again, local policy?) not that it didn't exist.0 -
Back in '04 one of the networks ran a repeat of the 1971 O'Neal-Kerry debate on the Dick Cavett Show. I was lucky enough to see it. Cavett wasn't the only Dick on the show, Eddie 0 -
I've been itching to comment on this thread, for no other reason than I dislike John Kerry and everything he represents. I disliked him in '72, when I believe he started mouthing off before Congress. It started to get him some traction then, so he kept going.
I never heard of Kerry until then. Did not serve in his type of unit. I was TDY'd to a PBR unit (river patrol) deeper in the delta, and had nothing to do with swift boats. Swift boats sucked. They were noisy, poorly armed, and hot. Propeller-driven, I believe, which posed a host of problems. They needed deeper water, and performed best when there was no enemy present.
I do, however, recall the reaction among the boat crews when Kerry's testimony trickled back to us. Basically: "Huh?" I believe he was seeking glory for future political purposes, and I believe he had a huge JFK complex -- to the point of being spooky.
I was there in '72, and in-country for only a few months. PH rules were quite clear: you had to be injured as a direct result of enemy action, and you had to require medical attention. In two instances I racked up one of each, but not both at the same time. You had to have both to get a PH.
He never should have gotten as far in life as he did. I suppose the marriage helped.0 -
Not sure if this helps or adds fuel. I saw John Kerry, on national t.v. during his campaign, say he was operating the boat when a sniper shot at them. Kerry said he turned the boat around, landed it and chased him through the jungle, caught him and killed him. I do not remember if Kerry said the sniper was a vc or a nva. Kerry did say he turned the boat around landed it, chased him though the jungle caught him and killed him. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by mcaso
Not sure if this helps or adds fuel. I saw John Kerry, on national t.v. during his campaign, say he was operating the boat when a sniper shot at them. Kerry said he turned the boat around, landed it and chased him through the jungle, caught him and killed him. I do not remember if Kerry said the sniper was a vc or a nva. Kerry did say he turned the boat around landed it, chased him though the jungle caught him and killed him.
That was Feb 28, 1969. The guy was a VC, as there weren't any NVA in the area. Anyway, he lived just a few yards away -- which is to say he was a local.
Doug Reese0 -
When Kerry said this it sound, came across as, very very lame and sounded like something that was made up to make him look good but was not true. At least that is how it sounded to me. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by mcaso
When Kerry said this it sound, came across as, very very lame and sounded like something that was made up to make him look good but was not true. At least that is how it sounded to me.
Actually, Kerry never said that during the campaign. Others did, or something along the lines of what you posted, but Kerry didn't.
Having said that, it did, most certainly, happen. It wasn't at all made up.
Doug Reese0 -
Sorry DougReese, but I heard Kerry say it and it was on T.V. I don't know what else I can say. I heard what I heard and it was Kerry's lips that were saying it.
Michael R Caso0 -
Ive heard a very few defend Kerry, and some even call him a hero. I expect it because even an evil person like Hitler is a hero to some, but while some will defend him and seem to have a slobbering love affair with he and other anti-war and anti-military democrats, it is a simple fact that few vetrans care for Kerry or his politics.
Personally, I think he's a liar who will say whatever it takes to get re-elected at the time the vote is taken. He and Ted Kennedy are political twins.0 -
quote:Originally posted by mcaso
Sorry DougReese, but I heard Kerry say it and it was on T.V. I don't know what else I can say. I heard what I heard and it was Kerry's lips that were saying it.
Michael R Caso
Ok, I'll defer to your memory. Anyway, he was referring to the incident of Feb 28, 1969, as I mentioned.
Doug0 -
quote:Originally posted by dheffley
Ive heard a very few defend Kerry, and some even call him a hero. I expect it because even an evil person like Hitler is a hero to some, but while some will defend him and seem to have a slobbering love affair with he and other anti-war and anti-military democrats, it is a simple fact that few vetrans care for Kerry or his politics.
Personally, I think he's a liar who will say whatever it takes to get re-elected at the time the vote is taken. He and Ted Kennedy are political twins.
Strangely enough, 11 of the guys who served directly under him "care" for him.
Would you care to disparage them also?
Doug Reese0 -
quote:Originally posted by DougReese
quote:Originally posted by dheffley
Ive heard a very few defend Kerry, and some even call him a hero. I expect it because even an evil person like Hitler is a hero to some, but while some will defend him and seem to have a slobbering love affair with he and other anti-war and anti-military democrats, it is a simple fact that few vetrans care for Kerry or his politics.
Personally, I think he's a liar who will say whatever it takes to get re-elected at the time the vote is taken. He and Ted Kennedy are political twins.
Strangely enough, 11 of the guys who served directly under him "care" for him.
Would you care to disparage them also?
Doug Reese
Nope, just him and his politics. The world will be better off when he retires from public life.[^]
I did notice you seemed to "disparage" those who served with him and didn't like him, so, as usual, I see it's a oneway street for him and his cronies. Typical.[;)]0 -
Danny . . . . .
If you are referring to the Swift Boat Veterans for "truth", well, very few of them so much as saw Kerry in Vietnam, much less served with him.
I'm very specific as to who lied, and who didn't. John O'Neill (never saw Kerry in VN, by the way) was the SBV"t" liar-in-chief.
I disparage no one's service, but a liar is a liar.
And let's face it, he did a great job of planting doubt with his lies. Look at you and the incident where Kerry received a Silver Star. I'm sure you truly believe there were guys present that morning who have a different take than Kerry as to what happened. But, if you ever had a chance a few months ago to do the research, you found out that there was no one there with a different take -- just John O'Neill with his typical bs as to what he claimed happened, and how Kerry lied about it. . . . . but the only liar in regards to that incident was O'Neill.
Doug Reese0 -
quote:Originally posted by DougReese
I disparage no one's service, but a liar is a liar.
And there we agree, and I have seen statements that confirm Kerry is a liar about many things, therefore, I believe I cannot trust anything he says.
As I said earlier, I didn't serve with him, and I'm hearing two different sides of a story, even from those who did serve with him. Obviously, there is more than one liar speaking, but when I know Kerry is a liar, I cannot accept anything he says as truth.
Now, back to my statement. I am disparaging HIM and his POLITICS, and as you have seen, the great majority here believe the same.
You like Kerry. Fine, you have that right and freedom.
You say you served with Kerry, and you believe his stories. Fine, you have that right and freedom.
Now, I have the right and freedom to believe otherwise, and I do.
You just can't seem to let anyone disagree with you, Kerry, or the politics and BS that gets rolled up in all of the mess that comes with it.
You've had your say. You've expressed your support for the man and you've more than agrued your point. It is nothing but beating a dead horse at this point, so I'm locking this topic and we will all go our seperate way with our own beliefs and respect the others rights to believe as they will.
We will stand on our beliefs and statements mentioned here and move on to other topics of discussion.
Thanks for your input and information,
Danny0
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