POWs Take Aim At Kerry’s Post-Combat Activities Which Encouraged The Enemy And Prolonged Their Captivity

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a non-partisan, non-profit group representing more than 250 Swift Boat veterans who served with Senator John Kerry in Vietnam, announced today they are joining forces with a group of American prisoners of war who were held captive by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. The merger coincides with a new $1.4 million television ad campaign released by the new group Swift Vets and POWs For Truth.

“We welcome the POWs to this battle on behalf of truth, the real truth of who John Kerry is and how he betrayed his fellow veterans. His visits to Paris to meet with the enemy – and his subsequent public endorsement of their so-called ‘peace plan’ – only served to encourage our enemies and prolong the captivity of our POWs,” said Admiral Roy Hoffmann, founder of Swift Vets and POWs for Truth.

“For John Kerry to now claim that his activities were part of an effort to help solve the POW problem is absolutely ludicrous. Kerry encouraged the North Vietnamese to keep us in captivity longer which meant more torture, more lost years and, sadly, more death,” said Vietnam POW Ken Cordier who was held captive for six years and three months and was awarded two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart among other decorations.

The new ad will air in three states as well as on national cable and is the most expensive media buy the group has made to date. The ad features wives of two POWs:

Mary Jane McManus: Three months after we were married, my husband was shot down over Hanoi.

Phyllis Galanti: Paul and I were married in 1963. Two years later he was shot down over North Vietnam.

MCMANUS: All of the prisoners of war in North Vietnam were tortured in order to obtain confessions of atrocities.

Galanti: On the other hand, John Kerry came home and accused all Vietnam veterans of unspeakable horrors.

McManus: John Kerry gave aid and comfort to the enemy by advocating their negotiating points to our government.

Galanti: Why is it relevant? Because John Kerry is asking us to trust him.

McManus: I will never forget John Kerry’s testimony. If we couldn’t trust John Kerry then, how could we possibly trust him now?

Several POWs and their wives will also be featured in a satellite media tour Thursday morning that reaches out to local television stations. The vets will be interviewed via satellite from Colorado Springs where they will be attending the Air Force/Navy football game Thursday afternoon. Swift Vets and POWs For Truth is also launching a direct mail campaign that will reach 1.2 million people.

Swift Vets and POWs For Truth now has over 63,000 online financial contributors to their campaign to get the truth out about John Kerry.

The POWs also released a new 40 minute documentary titled Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal, produced by Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award winning journalist Carlton Sherwood (www.stolenhonor.com). The documentary features interviews with many POWs, as well as some of their wives, and details how Kerry’s activities actually further endangered the lives of the POWs. This documentary gives it to you straight from the mouths of the POWs and their wives themselves.

To schedule interviews with Admiral Hoffmann, Mr. Cordier, or other spokespeople for Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, contact Sean McCabe (ext. 110) or Keith Appell (ext. 112) at (703)-683-5004.