SwiftVets.com

[Montana]

I just finished watching Donna Brazile, the Democratic National
Committee Voting Rights Chair, on C-SPAN´s Washington Journal.

Washington Journal is an early morning television call-in show.

Ms. Brazile responded to a caller by saying she didn´t understand
the attacks by Republicans on John Kerry. She went on to say
John Kerry ¨served two tours¨ in Vietnam.

This statement, to me, is truely amazing.

It´s bad enough to say John Kerry served one tour, which
is not true. But to say he served two tours is beyond the pale.
Is this what we have to look forward to...an ever expanding John
Kerry war record?

I get the feeling the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, who were
present at the news conference on 4 May, really
have their work cutout for them to get the truth out about John
Kerry.

To me, this is not a Republican issue or Democrat issue. It´s a
veteran issue, and it´s about the future of our country.

I agree with John O´Neill. If anyone else were running, representing the
Democratic Party, I would not be on this website.

Montana

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

John Kerry served for (IIRC) seven months aboard the USS Gridley.

His former XO of the ship has nothing but praise for his performance during that tour.

He signed off on Kerry's request to be re-assigned to Swift Boats.

Although the ship probably DID make at least one stop in Vietnam while Kerry was aboard in its mission of ferrying between CA and HI and Vietnam, to include this tour as having served "two tours in Vietnam" is disingenuous at best.

I would say that Ms. Bazile is either misinformed or is actively supporting John Kerry's claim to "war hero" status.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[Me#1You#10]

[Montana]

Navy_Navy_Navy wrote:
Although the ship probably DID make at least one stop in
Vietnam while Kerry was aboard in its mission of ferrying
between CA and HI and Vietnam, to include this tour as
having served "two tours in Vietnam" is disingenuous at best.
.......................................................

I agree. No Westpac fleet sailor, including the Captain, Officers
or enlisted personnel aboard USS Gridley (DLG-21), would say
with a straight face that sailing in the South China Sea, pulling
into Subic for Olongapo liberty, or 2SNX behind an aircraft
carrier would be considered a ¨tour in Vietnam.¨ The grunts
and Swift Boat sailors who pulled a real tour in Vietnam must be holding their sides on that one.
The Gridley may have shot at some unknown air contacts (bogeys),
but this is not a ¨tour in Vietnam.¨
I´m not aware of the Gridley ever pulling into Vietnam, but it did
go to Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines and Australia along with
supporting fleet units on Yankee Station, etc. while on
its Westpac cruises.
Possibly a former Gridley sailor, who was on Gridley during this
time, will expand on this.

Montana

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

[eecee]

The Gridley patrolled the Gulf of Tonkin as part of its 1968 WESTPAC deployment. Part of that time was spent in support of the carrier Kitty Hawk. In addition, the ship made at least one call at Da Nang, and
Kerry spent some shore time there.

[Montana]

Thanks Navy3

Airdales are just as important as everyone else, when it comes
to serving our country. Thanks for your service times 3.

My info on Ensign Kerry is that he reported to Gridley 8 June 1967.
First Division Officer to start. Meaning he was the division officer
for Deck. Later electrical officer in engineering. I´m not
saying these positions were not important. Thousands of
young Ensigns in our navy start with these kinds of jobs.

Also thousands of ships (over time) went on WestPac cruises,
including South China Sea operations, supporting efforts
in Vietnam. This would be know more correctly as pulling
a Westpac.

I really think Donna B. mispoke (to give her the benefit of the
doubt). However, those that served in country in Vietnam
(army rangers, regular army grunts, seals, US Marines, US Navy Corpsmen serving
with the marines aka ¨docs,¨ and Swift Boat personnel) consider
a ¨tour¨ as 12 months. Many of these people pulled 2 or 3 tours
in Vietnam (volunteering to go back after the first tour). These
people are sensitive to anyone saying Kerry pulled a tour in Vietnam
when it was a third of a tour. For Ms. B. to say he pulled
two tours......must have some of the disabled Vietnam grunts
seeing red in VA hospitals in this country. Enough said.
Montana

[Montana]

A P.S. to my previous post

I didn´t mean to leave out the US Coast Guard personnel
serving in-country in Vietnam, along with the US Air Force
personnel, and many others in non-traditional roles.

Montana

[Me#1You#10]

[Navy_Navy_Navy]