SwiftVets.com

[7rrfs]

Its my understanding that 'Tour of Duty' references Kerry saying he volunteered for Swiftboat duty because it was considered very safe - before Admiral Zumwalt changed the mission from shore patrol to sending the boats up river and into the canals.

Isnt the quote something like, "I didnt really want to get involved with the war." ???


(Note: I did a quick check looking for this topic - sorry if this is a repeat.)


Didnt Kerry then go ballistic and pester the chain of command because, "This isnt what I volunteered for?"


Or is this an urban legend?
_________________
"I served admirably in Vietnam" John Kerry
"Yes, I committed atrocities in Vietnam" John Kerry

[kate]

Not an urban legend
http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/
Good read about Kerry in this series from the Boston Globe
_________________
.
one of..... We The People

[7rrfs]

Thanks.
Now for the second part, did Kerry request to leave the area because it wasnt what he signed up for? I remember the phrase, "Pestering the chain of command."

Is there any record of this?
Would signing the SF-180 reveal any such record?
_________________
"I served admirably in Vietnam" John Kerry
"Yes, I committed atrocities in Vietnam" John Kerry

[PO2]

When Kerry put in his request for swift boat duty, they were assigned duties in the Market Time and Stable Door operations. both of these operations were headquartered at Cam Ranh Bay, so safe that even the President landed there one time in AF-!. The operational area for the boats and CG Cutters was sufficiently far enough from shore to be safe for the big, lumbering, noisy swift boats. Just outside small arms range.

By the time Kerry arrived on the white sandy shores of CRB, the mission had been changed. Market Time was out and the new mission was in bays and up-river. Woa, this is not what Kerry signed up to do. He had to find a way out, and quickly. He did. After one month in CRB and three months on the rivers, and he was gone. I'm sure his luggage was heavy enough by that time tho, with all those purple hearts and silver and bronze stars.

Jim
_________________
Duty. Honor. Country.
To me, more than just words.

[cgc]

Ok, I'll jump in, you claim our duty was safe until we started entering the Bays and Rivers and canals. If you call boarding a moving Junk at two in the morning after chasing it for two hours safe, well maybe. Also we (Coastal Squadrons)boarded and searched thousands of boats in the inshore waters of Viet Nam, checking Can Cuc's and So Gay's. Bad weather was a nightmare, I personaly saw boats came back from patrol with the front windshield pushed out due to waves coming over the bow, and the bilge pump unable to keep up with the water coming in. We had a couple other boats come out and lash alongside to keep them afloat. It was never completly safe. A lot better duty than the guys at the LZ's or firebases, or the LRP patrols or our Marine brothers in Khe Sanh. But anyways, Kerry is exploiting his four months to run for President. This is after he trashed us after his return from his 4 month time frame in Viet Nam. He used the system to run home and now he wants to use the system to get elected.. He can't have it both ways.He made some horrible accusations against the living, and never gave the dead a chance to defend themselves aginst his charges. He was a liar then about his and our service as swift vets and he lied about the honorable service of a couple million more veterans who served. Let him go back to Mass. and disappear. We don't need this guy as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and as President of the United States, not only for his actions that brought disgrace on us veterans who did our tours, but for his voting record and poor performance as a U.S. Senator.
cgc 68-69 An Toi, Danang, Swift Boat Crew 6C

[Polaris]

cgc,

I would say this. Kerry volunteer for swiftboat duty because he thought coastal intradiction would be safe duty. Fair?
_________________
-Polaris

Truth is Beauty

[PO2]

[cgc]

I don't know what his reason was, BUT, I can guess it was to pump up his resume. The fact that he bit off more than he wanted and then hauled ass, says alot for this aspiring President wannabe, who wants us all to believe he is fit for the office of the President of the United States, He considers himself a bonafide ,qualified, certified "war hero" on his medal count. Hell that sounds like a body count kind of deal to me. Now after he smeared us in 1971, testified about his Cambodia insertion, (found out to be ********) accused us of war crimes, and seems to admit war crimes himself, tossed his medals (oops they were not really his ) Smeared the
entire military of that era, got himself three purple hearts, ( but did't lose a single day of duty) and as Senator Dole said, didn't lose a drop of blood. There is controversy surronding his bronze and silver star, OH and over two hundred men from 3rd class to Admiral say he is unfit to serve and sold out our POW's. My question is why the hell is he still in the race. Mr. Kerry thought his words and deeds of a long time ago were going to be forgotten. They will never be forgotten by those of us he smeared and cheated, and by all true heros on the wall. I want a President that won't cut and run at the first sign of trouble, that will steadfastly support our troops and keep America safe. As Bob Dole said he wasn't the only one who served in Viet Nam, There were two million of us. Kerry is trying to waltz into the office of the President on 4 months of disputed service in Viet Nam, and after his Gengis Khan speech in front of the Congress, Where he testified that the war was a farce, a mistake, amd mostly criminals served. He negated any "hero" staus he might have earned.
cgc 68-69 AnToi, Danang, Swift Boat 6C

[7rrfs]

I repeat, is there any evidence that Kerry sought to leave the Swiftboats after the mission changed?

A single request for transfer would do.
_________________
"I served admirably in Vietnam" John Kerry
"Yes, I committed atrocities in Vietnam" John Kerry

[Polaris]