SwiftVets.com

[baldeagl]

I'm building a spreadsheet with complete documentation of Kerry's service on the Swift boats, including documentation (links) for every fact.

Here's what I have so far. I need help from any Swifty who can confirm or refute any of these facts.

11/17/68 - Kerry in country - OinC - PCF 44
12/2/68 - First purple heart incident - no enemy fire
12/24/68 - December in Cambodia incident
1/20/69 - Sampan incident
1/29/69 - Cua Lon River incident - PCF 94 w/ PCFs 5, 72 and 93
2/14/69 - w/ PCF 52
2/20/69 - 2nd purple heart incident - /w PCFs 31, 44, 50, 66, 72, 93
2/22/69 - trip to Saigon
2/25/69 - hostile fire, beached, killed 1 VC, w/ PCFs 23, 31, 44
2/26/69 - killed 5 VC
2/27/69 - rocket fire
2/28/69 - Silver Star incident, w/ PCFs 23, 43
3/4/69 - ambush - no injuries
3/13/69 - Bronze star incident - Rassmann - 3rd purple heart incident
3/17/69 - Kerry leaves CD-11 - 3 purple heart out

I need to know what boats were with Kerry on any of the dates I don't have already listed - or corrected if I'm wrong. Any other information you can give me is appreciated.

I have been through the 2003 Boston Globe article, the Kerry website including all spot reports, injury reports and citations, and a number of Swift boat sites on the web. I still have plenty left to do, but any help from actual witnesses would be very helpful. Men who served on PCFs 5, 23, 31, 43, 44, 50, 62, 66, 72, 93 during the November to March timeframe would be very helpful.

Gardner says he served with Kerry for "two months and two weeks". That would put Kerry on PCF-44 from 11/17/68-1/31/69. I have Kerry on PCF-94 on 1/29/69, which is close enough that I think it confirms Gardner's memory of the time frame.

I'm a little confused about PCF-44. A site I found lists her as being in CD-11, with the OinC being Thomas Williams Wright III from 11/68-4/69. This obviously overlaps the time Kerry was on her. How did that work? Or is the website wrong about Wright? Or did Wright do other things for the 2 months that Kerry commanded?

I also can't account for the following:
PCF-44 - who was the quartermasters mate?
PCF-94 - I've got three QMs and two enginemen, but no no BM on that boat

Can anyone who was there help with these details? Those are some of the details I'm trying to clear up.

Once I have this all together, I'll put together a one page talking points blurb that should be useful
_________________
antimedia
USN OST-6 68-74
http://antimedia.blogspot.com/

[baldeagl]

Here's one talking point.

Of the thirteen men who are listed as Kerry's "crewmates" on http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0728d.html only eight actually served on his boats. (Remember, this is a crucial distinction that the opponents are making. It should be thrown back in their face.)

Six claim to have served on PCF-94. Of those six

1) David Alston, never served with Kerry. Alston was severely injured on 1/29/69, while PCF-94 was under the command of Lt. Peck, and Fred Short replaced him as gunners mate.

2) Jim Rassmann was not a crewmate. He was Army Special Forces and was never on the PCF-94. He was on PCF-3 when he was blown off by a mine. He was picked up by PCF-94.

That leaves four that actually served with Kerry on PCF-94.

Four of Kerry's crewmates on PCF-44 are listed with him. The fifth, Steve Gardner, is a Swift vet. None of the PCF-44 crewmates witnessed any of the incidents for which Kerry was awarded medals.

Anyone know who the radioman was on PCF-94 when Kerry was OinC?

The three officers (OinCs) that support him are Wade Sanders - PCF-98, Skip Barker - PCF 31 and Pat Runyon - PCF 71. I haven't found any evidence that Sanders or Runyon ever participated in action with PCF-94. Barker was with Kerry when he got his second purple heart and participated in other actions with him during the same time frame but did not witness the actions leading to his first and third purple hearts, nor his Silver and Bronze stars.

I'd say the Swift vets are just as qualified to speak to Kerry's qualifications as CinC as any of these, wouldn't you?
_________________
antimedia
USN OST-6 68-74
http://antimedia.blogspot.com/

[baldeagl]

Correction - Pat Runyon was not OinC of PCF-72, he was an engineman. He served on PCF-47 until March of 69 when he transferred to PCF-71. He may never have served in An Thoi until after Kerry left theatre, but certainly didn't serve with Kerry.

That leaves 8 who actually served with him, one who is lying about serving with him, one who was Army, not Navy, two officers, only one of who saw action with him and one engineman who never served with him.

It looks like Joseph Muharsky was the radioman on PCF-94 when Kerry was OinC. Anyone know him? Know where he is?
_________________
antimedia
USN OST-6 68-74
http://antimedia.blogspot.com/

[You GottaBeKidding]

baldeagl:

He's been mentioned elsewhere on this board for a piece he wrote for Memorial Day. I googled and found his web site:

http://www.mwweb.com/ndc/Default.htm

There's an e-mail link.

[You GottaBeKidding]

baldeagl:

Also turned this up.

Joseph Muharsky : Deleted by Admin
E-mail address here matches the web site. Bet it's the right guy.

Searchbug gives this info for that phone number:

Muharsky, Jos E
Deleted by admin

Admin note:

Please do not post e-mails or phone numbers within this forum.

[baldeagl]