SwiftVets.com

[pwcarter]

The week before the election, I was going through TOUR OF DUTY in preparation for a radio interview. (I was on GRIDLEY with Kerry) As I was reading the chapter on GRIDLEY, it hit me again how poorly researched this book was. At one point, he talks about Kerry doing his thing about the WWII history of sites they were passing through.

He talks about passing through the Solomon Islands on the way from Guam to Subic Bay, linking in a little Kennedy history. The only problem is that the Solomon Islands are down near New Guinea, thousands of miles to the south!

The truth of the matter is that we went from Guam to Subic via the San Bernardino Strait and the Sibuyan Sea. Right through the middle of the Philippines. The year before (1967) Gridley was the first warship to transit this area since a Japanese Fleet burst out of there in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

That interesting bit of trivia aside, is there any purpose to doing a detailed analysis of TOUR OF DUTY to expose what a sloppy hero worship piece of trash it was? Sounds to me like a great job for a team of graduate students.

I can only speak for the period of time when he was on GRIDLEY but would certainly be willing to participate. Brinkley is still out there spewing his trash.

[Stevie]

I think it's a good idea. Brinkley drives me nuts.

Thinks he's such a great historian ! The sad thing is, it doesn't seem like

it would have been that difficult to check the facts out. He lives in fear that

it will all come out and then his reputation will be ruined... with the liberals.

Any other discrepancies in the book would be good to know.

The more ammo, the better.

So, you've been in the presence of the high and mighty?

Might want to take another shower .... icky! I would!
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

[Tom Poole]

[dmackto]

Sounds like an excellent plan to me.
_________________
Deborah
The FROZEN CHICKEN Journal

This is no time for ease and comfort. It is the time to dare and endure.
- Winston Churchill

[pwcarter]

If anyone is reading the Newsweek series, you can see that while the article is critical of the Democrats and Kerry during the campaign, they rea still repeating the line about the "discredited Swift Boat people". If we don't do something, that is the way it is going to go in the history books.

[tiptie]

Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball are the two Newsweek reporters that tore apart Moore's 9/11 movie for idiots back in the June 30th issue.

I wonder if they might be interested in such an endeavor? It certainly would be good reading to analyze Tour of Duty and Unfit for Command.

I have not dug into these two reporter's views since this article, so I do not know their agenda.

They would need to interview O’Neal.
_________________
"A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can put on his shoes." Mark Twain

USCG
61-69

[F. Rottles]

pwcarter, as you served on the Gridley with Kerry, can you help make sense of what he speaks about in the following snippet from the Q & A in his appearance before the Senate Committee in 1971?

[pwcarter]

Kerry was the PIO on GRIDLEY. It is always a job given to boot Ensigns.

After I left the ship in May 68, GRIDLEY went from Subic to take part in the Coral Sea Festival, as we had the year before. I believe GRIDLEY went to New Zealand.

It would have been normal to have open houses and to have visiting dignitaries from the Government and military people. These trips were highly prized by crews even though hard work was involved preping for the visits. I am not sure what he meant about food. GRIDLEY won the Ney award for the best feeding ship in the Pac Fleet.

I recently helped a young Kiwi girl find her father after 37 years if that gives you any indication of why these visits were popular with the crew!

I am not familiar with the selling of the Pentagon so I don't know the context here.

[OKLady]

I think that a detailed review of both tour of duty and unfit for command would be a good job for an "independent" group. If you just analyze one book, there would be mention that the reviewer is biased. Analyze both and the criticism might be less.

An analysis of the various documentaries (Stolen Honor and the pro Kerry one) would be interesting to see which one is more "biased" or if they are true documentaries.....

[Bernard Cullen]

[Bernard Cullen]

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Seems to me that there are enough people on board that are willing to dig for details - a team could take this book apart in pretty short order. It will require that we actually purchase this <gag> POC, but maybe if we find it in used bookstores, it wouldn't be so painful to buy?
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[a.t.beagle]

NNN

There are over a dozen copies of Tour of Duty listed on ebay for as low as $5. Incidentally, that is where I got my copy of "Unfit for Command" when none of the bookstores had it.

P.S. Walmart is now carrying "Unfit for Command", next to it was Moores book which I nonchalantly deposited behind the shelves. Will be there until the shelves are moved. Silly thing to do, but enjoyed it, lol.
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The eyes are the window of the soul!

[skidlid]

3 Navy,or anyone else interested, I will donate my copy of Tour of Duty-paperback version w/ epilogue to the research project. Just let me know where to send it.

Skidlid
_________________
Skidlid
USMC 64 - 68
MASS-2,MASS-3 = RVN 66 - 67
ChuLai,DaNang,QuanNgai,DucPho,Hue