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[TXBear]

From Captain's Quarters Blog

Has Kerry Backed Off Of First Purple Heart Claim?

A number of people have written to me overnight stating that a Kerry campaign spokesman has acknowledged on Brit Hume's Fox news show that John Kerry's wound on 2 December 1968 came from an unintentionally self-inflicted wound -- an accident, in other words. So far, I find nothing on this on the Fox web site, but they are notoriously poor at posting transcripts, or even summaries of their own programs. Can someone post the link in the comments section of this post if any confirmation can be made?

UPDATE: Here's the link (http://www.foxnews.com/video2/player.html?11608&Special_Report&Record%20News&elec&You%20Decide%202004&8&wvx-300)
to the Fox News report from Major Garrett. It mostly covers the Chris Wallace interview with John Hurley and CNN's interview of Bob Dole. Towards the end, Garrett talks about the first Purple Heart:

GARRETT: And questions keep coming. For example, Kerry received a Purple Heart for wounds suffered on December 2nd, 1968. But an entry in Kerry's own journal written nine days later, he writes that, quote, he and his crew hadn't been shot at yet, unquote. Kerry's campaign has said it is possible his first Purple Heart was awarded for an unintentionally self-inflicted wound.

Score another one for the Swiftvets, and another retreat for Kerry, this time on a key contention for both a medal (which some, including me, felt were too difficult to argue effectively) and for his truncated tour of duty. Without that first Purple Heart, Kerry would have had to stay on the Swiftboat assignment past March 17th and remain in combat. Now that the Kerry campaign seems to have retreated from Kerry's citation, the fact that Kerry pushed this award weeks later up a different chain of command takes on a great deal more significance. Instead of bravely taking on combat, he now looks desperate to get out ahead of everyone else and willing to falsify records to do it -- which is exactly the impression that his later assertions have given us.

CQ mentioned the 2 December/11 December conflict back on August 18th in this post (http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/002273.php)
, based on a tip from CQ reader Amelia and an article in World Net Daily by Art Moore. Today's links to the Fox News report come from CQ readers Jay Howard and Jim Leonard. Thanks to the entire CQ community for keeping the media on its toes.

UPDATE: Matt Drudge reports that Kerry has tried reaching out to the Swiftboat vets, although not John O'Neill, and according to the former commander he called, he sounded pretty pathetic about it:

The call lasted 10 minutes, sources tell DRUDGE.

KERRY: "Why are all these swift boat guys opposed to me?"

BRANT: "You should know what you said when you came back, the impact it had on the young sailors and how it was disrespectful of our guys that were killed over there."

[Brant had two men killed in battle.]

KERRY: "When we dedicated swift boat one in '92, I said to all the swift guys that I wasn't talking about the swifties, I was talking about all the rest of the veterans."

Kerry then asked if he could meet Brant ["You were one of the best"] -- man to man -- face to face.

Brant declined the invite, explaining that Kerry was obviously not prepared to correct the record on exactly what happened during Vietnam and what happened when Kerry came back.

What kind of defense is that -- "When I called American servicemen murderers, rapists, and war criminals, I didn't mean you guys"?? If Kerry truly thought that half-assed explanation (not even an apology) would fly after all these years, then his diplomatic talents have been blown far out of proportion. The obvious cluelessness of John Kerry may even outweigh his serial prevarications as the most vital impediment to his candidacy. (via Power Line) http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/007583.php

[SBD]

How can he say that he was not talking about his fellow Swift Boat comrades when he gave this quote on the infamous medal toss day.

[url] http://69.44.60.22/medaltoss.pdf [/url]

"We established American presence in most cases by showing the flag and firing at sampans and villages along banks," said Kerry "Those were our instructions, but they seemed so out of line that we finally began to go ashore, against our orders, and investigate the villages that were supposed to be our targets. We discovered we were burchering a lot of innocent people, and morale became so low among the officers on those 'swift boats' that we were called back to Saigon for special instructionsfrom Gen Abrams. He told us we were doing the right thing. He said our efforts would help win the war in the long run. That's when I realized I could never remain silent about the realities of the war in Vietnam."

SBD

[ASPB]

You should read the real story of the Saigon meeting in Unfit for Command. It represents the collective memories of 22 officers who participated in the meeting vs Kerry's distortions.
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On Sale! Order in lots of 100 now at velero@rcn.com Free for the cost of shipping All profits (if any, especially now) go to Swiftvets. The author of "Sink Kerry Swiftly" ---ASPB

[Billman]

Answer to the original question is YES and Swiftees have issued a release:

http://www2.swiftvets.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=37334#37334
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-- Bill in Seattle