SwiftVets.com

[heisest]

I appreciate your stance on this issue but the full story shown below requires a bit more analysis. It is a well written piece. It gives times and dates. It is hard hitting. It is credable as Rassmann was also a deputy sheriff for Los Angeles County and retired in 1989 as a lieutenant. There are specific things though that might be either proven or disproven that could help your case.

RASSMANN says he wrote up Kerry for a Silver Star but it turned into a Bronze Star. Does the navy keep the requests from various individuals that they use to base giving an award? If so have you tried to get a copy of it? Why have not the commanders given sworn statements about this incident along with the other three men? Are there any plans to get sworn statements as this make your case stronger? Do any of the other men that were on Kerry's boat take your position? It sounds like there were other Special Forces men on his boat. What are their stories about this incident? If Kerry did "run" away they would be shocked that he was leaving one of their own and they would certainly remember that. Thanks.


Shame on the Swift Boat Veterans for Bush

By JIM RASSMANN
August 10, 2004; Page A10

I came to know Lt. John Kerry during the spring of 1969. He and his swift boat crew assisted in inserting our Special Forces team and our Chinese Nung soldiers into operational sites in the Cau Mau Peninsula of South Vietnam. I worked with him on many operations and saw firsthand his leadership, courage and decision-making ability under fire.

On March 13, 1969, John Kerry's courage and leadership saved my life.

While returning from a SEA LORDS operation along the Bay Hap River, a mine detonated under another swift boat. Machine-gun fire erupted from both banks of the river, and a second explosion followed moments later. The second blast blew me off John's swift boat, PCF-94, throwing me into the river. Fearing that the other boats would run me over, I swam to the bottom of the river and stayed there as long as I could hold my breath.

When I surfaced, all the swift boats had left, and I was alone taking fire from both banks. To avoid the incoming fire, I repeatedly swam under water as long as I could hold my breath, attempting to make it to the north bank of the river. I thought I would die right there. The odds were against me avoiding the incoming fire and, even if I made it out of the river, I thought I'd be captured and executed. Kerry must have seen me in the water and directed his driver, Del Sandusky, to turn the boat around. Kerry's boat ran up to me in the water, bow on, and I was able to climb up a cargo net to the lip of the deck. But, because I was nearly upside down, I couldn't make it over the edge of the deck. This left me hanging out in the open, a perfect target. John, already wounded by the explosion that threw me off his boat, came out onto the bow, exposing himself to the fire directed at us from the jungle, and pulled me aboard.

For his actions that day, I recommended John for the Silver Star, our country's third highest award for bravery under fire. I learned only this past January that the Navy awarded John the Bronze Star with Combat V for his valor. The citation for this award, signed by the Commander of U.S. Naval Forces, Vietnam, Vice Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, read, "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." To this day I am grateful to John Kerry for saving my life. And to this day I still believe that he deserved the Silver Star for his courage.

It has been many years since I served in Vietnam. I returned home, got married, and spent many years as a deputy sheriff for Los Angeles County. I retired in 1989 as a lieutenant. It has been a long time since I left Vietnam, but I think often of the men who did not come home with us.

I am neither a politician nor an organizer. I am a retired police officer with a passion for orchids. Until January of this year, the only public presentations I made were about my orchid hobby. But in this presidential election, I had to speak out; I had to tell the American people about John Kerry, about his wisdom and courage, about his vision and leadership. I would trust John Kerry with my life, and I would entrust John Kerry with the well-being of our country.

Nobody asked me to join John's campaign. Why would they? I am a Republican, and for more than 30 years I have largely voted for Republicans. I volunteered for his campaign because I have seen John Kerry in the worst of conditions. I know his character. I've witnessed his bravery and leadership under fire. And I truly know he will be a great commander in chief.

Now, 35 years after the fact, some Republican-financed Swift Boat Veterans for Bush are suddenly lying about John Kerry's service in Vietnam; they are calling him a traitor because he spoke out against the Nixon administration's failed policies in Vietnam. Some of these Republican-sponsored veterans are the same ones who spoke out against John at the behest of the Nixon administration in 1971. But this time their attacks are more vicious, their lies cut deep and are directed not just at John Kerry, but at me and each of his crewmates as well. This hate-filled ad asserts that I was not under fire; it questions my words and Navy records. This smear campaign has been launched by people without decency, people who don't understand the bond of those who serve in combat.

As John McCain noted, the television ad aired by these veterans is "dishonest and dishonorable." Sen. McCain called on President Bush to condemn the Swift Boat Veterans for Bush ad. Regrettably, the president has ignored Sen. McCain's advice.

Does this strategy of attacking combat Vietnam veterans sound familiar? In 2000, a similar Republican smear campaign was launched against Sen. McCain. In fact, the very same communications group, Spaeth Communications, that placed ads against John McCain in 2000 is involved in these vicious attacks against John Kerry. Texas Republican donors with close ties to George W. Bush and Karl Rove crafted this "dishonest and dishonorable" ad. Their new charges are false; their stories are fabricated, made up by people who did not serve with Kerry in Vietnam. They insult and defame all of us who served in Vietnam.

But when the noise and fog of their distortions and lies have cleared, a man who volunteered to serve his country, a man who showed up for duty when his country called, a man to whom the United States Navy awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts, will stand tall and proud. Ultimately, the American people will judge these Swift Boat Veterans for Bush and their accusations. Americans are tired of smear campaigns against those who volunteered to wear the uniform. Swift Boat Veterans for Bush should hang their heads in shame.

Mr. Rassmann, a retired lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, served with the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam 1968-69.

URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109209179651686933,00.html

[You GottaBeKidding]

This is the umpteenth time that this has been posted. Why didn't you look on the board first to see whether it was already here. There's a search function that would have made it easy.

Check those threads.

Also search for the affadavits from those who are in the ad. There's ample evidence. You're asking the same old, same old questions without bothering to poke around here. The answers are already here.

[heisest]

[RocketFett]

I might be wrong on this, but isn't Mr. O'neill a life long registered Democrat? And the kerry drones attacking the Bush campaign claiming they're behind the SWIFT Vets, at attacking Carl Rove, saying that he's the one funneling money to the Vets. Cark Rove is a Democrat and always has been. And as was made clear in the C-SPAN press conference a couple weeks ago that many of the Vets are not Republicans. So trying so desperately to link this movement to the Republican party is just another tired attempt to distract from the real point. The SWIFT Vets are telling the truth, and the weak truthless campaign can't dispute the Vets accusations, because deep down, they know they're all true. That's why at kerry's side he has a very few vets backing him who were literally there, and the SWIFT Boat Vets for Truth, against kerry, numbers in the HUNDREDS, and they were there and do know him. The kerry foundation is crumbling and they're scared. Otherwise, they'd be challenging the facts being thrown against kerry, instead of trying to threaten and coerce the messengers into silence.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

[heisest]

[MadIvan]

Again, playing the man, not the ball. He can't attack the message, he can only attack the messengers. I wonder what it must be like to be such a dreadful shill.

Regards, Ivan
_________________

[RocketFett]

heisest, maybe you should read "Unfit For Command" That book is full of nothing but proven researched evidence that is backed up by first hand accounts from dozens and dozens of people. And also, consider these facts.

The SWIFT Vets here number in the hundreds and they were there and know about kerry and saw first hand the things they talk about and there is an Admiral, and Captains and Commanders and other officers and many enlisted men. kerry's entire chain of command stands against him.

The SWIFT Vets have NOTHING to gain from this. They're not making any money from the sizable proceeds of this book. And they stand to lose everything, as kerry has already threatened them with slander and libel suits, and threatened to release their personal information, divorce records, credit reports, etc, and all the while, not disputing a single fact or prove a thing wrong that the SWIFT Vets say about thim.

Mr. kerry is the one with everything to lose if this is true. The SWIFT Vets had NO up side to coming out with this. They stand to lose everything by coming forward. kerry is the one with something to lose with this all coming out. And if it was untrue he would release his FULL AND COMPLETE military records, and he refuses to do that. The Department Of Defense said just Tuesday that they have the records but they cannot release them publically unless Mr. kerry authorizes it, and to do that, he only needs to sign a simple two page authorization document.

Kerry has a small hand full of veterans who were actually there who support him, and many of those are being paid by the campaign, and none of them were his superiors. The kerry camp has neither disputed or been able to offer up any kind of real evidence to challenge ANY of this from the SWIFT Vets, including that theory, and that is very suspicious. But they seem to have plenty of time to send lawyers nation wide to threaten TV and radio stations not to aire the SWIFT Vets ad, and not threatening the Vets individually to try and coerce them into silence.

All of these facts speak for themselves. So if you still have questions after all of this, then really, I really I don't know what to tell you. This site is full of tons of info backing up the Vets accusations on kerry.

[RocketFett]

MadIvan, the silence on kerry being totally unable and unwilling to challenge the actual accusations from the SWIFT Vets is deafening. It's so conspicuous, and now some in the liberal media are coming out and fussing at the kerry campaign, because they know it doesn't hold water personally attacking the Vets, and totally refusing to refute any of their accusations. That will have an effect on the voters of this country. Perfect example of "silence being deafening".

[carpro]

[ASPB]

When we use the term "Fng" in lieu of Kerry's middle initial we're not using it as a replacement of a common expletive in the Navy.

It really means "Fraudulent narcissistic gas-bag"
_________________
On Sale! Order in lots of 100 now at velero@rcn.com Free for the cost of shipping All profits (if any, especially now) go to Swiftvets. The author of "Sink Kerry Swiftly" ---ASPB

[carpro]

[MadIvan]

[RocketFett]

Capro, oh GOD please don’t even joke about that. If the day comes that the only two choices for President are people like hanoi jane fonda and ghengis john kerry, and most people in the country reflect their lack of values and integrity, it’s time to move to New Zealand or something. Just the thought of that makes my
head spin.

And it is funny to see that the more kerry and his people talk, the deeper the mess and the fowler the smell. It’s a wonderful thing to see. Someone really does need to send a print out of the definition of "truth" and some practical applications of it in the English language. This is bordering on a totally and complete lack of knowledge of the word and it’s meaning by the kerry drones.

Me#1You#10, sorry about that. I get a little, impassioned, sometimes.

[RocketFett]

ASPB, but it works so well for the expletive also.

MadIvan, bravo. That was good. Yeah, it also helped clinton that he was actually very charismatic and could sell his lies as though they were as pristine and white as the fresh fallen snow. And I despise him but have to admit he’s slicker than snot and VERY suave and has charisma and the looks to con people to believe him when he wants. At least that used to be the case. kerry though; about as charismatic as a cadaver, slick as sand paper, and suave as Ted Bundy. And it’s to the point that when kerry lies, it’s so blatant and obvious his handlers are all bald already and have nothing left to pull from their heads. Him and his (Edited) wife are his own worst enemies.