SwiftVets.com

[Beldar]

I haven't previously seen this discussed in the mainstream media or the blogosphere, and if it's been discussed in the forums here, I've also missed it. In Googling "Belodeau eulogy" I found no reference anywhere on the internet to this story.

Kerry gave a eulogy for his crew member, Thomas Belodeau, in November 1997 that he had inserted into the Congressional Record on January 28, 1998.

In it, Sen. Kerry gives yet another explanation for how Rassmann came to fall overboard in the Bronze Star incident, and also tells of "screaming up a river in the dead of night, no moon, 50 yards from Cambodia literally bouncing off the river bank."

I've written a post on the Belodeau eulogy on my blog, http://www.beldar.org/beldarblog/2004/08/kerrys_belodeau.html ...

Copies of the two pages from the Congressional Record in .pdf format are here ( http://www.beldar.org/beldarblog/2004/Belodeau%20eulogy-p1.pdf ) and here ( http://www.beldar.org/beldarblog/2004/Belodeau%20eulogy-p1.pdf ) ... or can also be accessed directly through the (link-unfriendly) Congressional Record website, http://www.gpoaccess.gov/crecord/ ...

I emphasize that I have no complaint whatsoever with the fact that Kerry gave a glowing eulogy for Mr. Belodeau, nor with his having the eulogy inserted into the Congressional Record. It's not Mr. Belodeau's reputation or veracity that are at issue. If the SwiftVets wish to add this eulogy to the list of Sen. Kerry's inconsistent or questionable statements, the context in which these particular Kerry statements arose will require some sensitivity and careful phrasing, lest the Kerry campaign spin the story along the lines of "the SwiftVets are dancing on the grave of a good man!", etc.

[hanna]

There are no links

The word "here" is a hyperlink Hanna...Beldar incorporates them into his text

[Cowboy]

The links are there. Click on "here" and "here" in the OP. So what's the upshot? Rassman himself was 50 yards from Cambodia on Kerry's boat? Kerry seems to have Cambodia on the brain.

[ord33]

Kerry, reporting apparently of Feb. 28th says Belodeau, who fired the M-60 and injured the Viet Cong kid in the leg also "never flinched as he charged the beach and routed the enemy--not just once, but twice."

Seems to conflict somewhat with other reports. (Some reports only have Kerry & Medeiros charging the boat. Although "Unfit For Command" does include Kerry, Medeiros, and "perhaps with others" p.83).

Nonetheless, I must say it was a moving eulogy, and Mr. Belodeau certainly was courageous in earning his Bronze Star.

[Beldar]

Sorry, I wasn't clear apparently.

The upshot is that in this version --

(1) Kerry claims that Rassmann (presumably, unless Kerry was involved in another mine collision and lost another Green Beret overboard on another occasion) was thrown from the boat during a sharp turn, not when the mine exploded (as he's consistently claimed elsewhere). (Rassmann also says he was thrown overboard, but while sitting on the deck eating a chocolate chip cookie, not running to fetch a new weapon for Belodeau.)

(2) Kerry claims to have been "screaming upriver" in the dead of night (which makes sense, everything I've heard says the Swift Boats were noisy) 50 yards from Cambodia. This is kinda hard to square with his latest claims to have been to Cambodia on secret special ops or SEAL insertion missions. But yes, it's more "Cambodia on the brain."

I've edited the original post to make the links more visible (if less elegant).

[republicanveteran]

Great Post... Thanks