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RASSMAN'S 3/13/69 PURPLE HEART AWARD
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AF366TFW
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Joined: 18 Aug 2004
Posts: 69
Location: Florida

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is a public document. Perhaps it would behoove us to "sanitize" the document before release to media.

Do you suppose this is a "Rice in the Fanny" wound from earlier in the day? I'm betting that when the medical turns up it is for shrapnel in the butt!
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llano
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NOTE that a James A. Fields also got the PH on the same day of action and he was in the exact same unit as Rassmann.

Why wouldn't Rassmann mention in his story that he was wounded when Kerry pulled him up? It could be from action earlier in the day but again nothing is said and Rassmann was not taken to the hospital ship.
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Navymomx2
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Joined: 11 May 2004
Posts: 149
Location: Washington

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hanna wrote:
Could it be that he was not listed in the after action report as being among the wounded be because he was Army and not Navy?


I was wondering the same thing but I am also wondering about this item also, maybe some of you experts out there can answer this.

On the Award Recommendation for John F. Kerry in box 25 it states:

Others being recommended for same action/service (name, rank, service number, branch of service and award recommended)

It list's:
Thurlow USNR Bronze Star
Lambert USN Bronze Star

As I read this box I am reading it that it wanted all others listed who were being recommended for an award for this incident and what award they were being recommended for, so to me as a lay person I would have thought that it would have had Rassmanns name with all info, US Army and Purple Heart.

Can someone explain to me if I am right or wrong and if I am wrong help me understand why Rassmann would not have been listed in this box.

Thanks
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Cali-HeyGirl
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Joined: 11 Aug 2004
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Location: Mayport

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AF366TFW wrote:
This MUST be made public!


OOH-YAH!
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efuseakay
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Joined: 16 Aug 2004
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

arymann wrote:
Is it a problem that all these guys' SSNs are posted in this document?


Ugh, I can't believe I missed that... it's now fixed.
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tiptie
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Joined: 19 Aug 2004
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The mod should delete gagarin's post. The SN's are still there.
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tiptie
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is not the rice in the fanny. Rassmann said that only Kerry get the fanny wound.
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Concerned
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Joined: 24 Aug 2004
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Location: Long Island, NY

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ord33 wrote:
Probably a stupid question on my part, but during a SF mission would they have a separate AAR that describes the events, WIA, etc? Or would the only report be Coastal Div. 11 with Kerry being the OIC/CTE (Commander Task Element)?


BINGO!!! YOU HIT BINGO!!! Exclamation Exclamation

This story of the undisclosed Rassmann PH is already being reported on the Kerry Spot blog... Because Rassmann was in SF, he reported into a different command structure!!

From what I have read about this whole March 13th incident, there were troops from other commands embarked on March 13th. Therefore, there also must be reports sent back to their respective units like the 5th SFGA, the SEALs, etc. This is the first of those other command reports to come public. Surely the enterprising might want to dig further... Very Happy Very Happy Hint! Hint!

There also have to be reports filed by the Coast Guard cutter stationed off-shore that the wounded went to as well as the LST that served as the Swifties base. The Swifties will know far better what the standard operating procedure was when ambushed. Did not they have to report into base?

As I recall reading somewhere, Kerry radioed back on one of the missions for helicopter support. Where did those helicopters come from? Surely the helicopter command must also have after-action reports from this March 13th incident.

Similarly, PCF 3 boat was damaged. The radio room on both the cutter and the LST must have had traffic regarding the incident. So too must have the damage control party that met the three boat that was sinking... and most importantly all of these reports are guaranteed not to be written by Kerry!!

Hat tip to Steve Sherman. He wrote an excellent editorial piece in the January 26th, 2004 edition of the Wall Street Journal on Kerry and Russmann.
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FF1047
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:11 pm    Post subject: Wounded is wounded ... Reply with quote

No way, if Rassman was wounded he would have been left behind when the other Swift boat ferried the wounded away ...

And since he was already mentioned in the after action report why would the writer of the report leave him off the casualty report.

The Army and Navy may not get along all the time but no way he would have been left behind wounded.
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Concerned
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Somewhere in all my reading, I recall that it was stated that both Rassmann and Kerry were transferred to the PCF 43 boat for transport out to the Coast Guard cutter (and PCF 94 crew stayed behind to tow PCF 3 back). Can anyone confirm this fact? I do not have the original source materials at hand. Thanks.
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AndrewC
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Joined: 24 Aug 2004
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Concerned wrote:
Somewhere in all my reading, I recall that it was stated that both Rassmann and Kerry were transferred to the PCF 43 boat for transport out to the Coast Guard cutter (and PCF 94 crew stayed behind to tow PCF 3 back). Can anyone confirm this fact? I do not have the original source materials at hand. Thanks.

Kerry has on his website the after-action spotrep with naval actions listed. I do not know if the army casualties would be listed in that report. The report states that all wounded in action were transported on PCF 94, but the casualty reports for 6 of the 7 naval casualties all have DTG(date time groups) close to 131600Z Mar 69. The 7th, Kerry's, has a DTG of 140830Z Mar 69, sixteen hours later than the rest. I doubt he was on PCF 43. The spotrep itself has a DTG of 131620Z Mar 69.

Andy.
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84rules
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Joined: 26 Jul 2004
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hanna wrote:
Could it be that he was not listed in the after action report as being among the wounded be because he was Army and not Navy?


Doubtful. The March 1969 Spot Reports over on johnkerry.com document an SF casualty in "Cai Nuoc." on 13 March 1969. There would be no reason why Rassmann's "wounds" weren't reported as well.

http://www.johnkerry.com/pdf/jkmilservice/SpotReports_March1969.pdf
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brat
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Joined: 24 Aug 2004
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 3:49 am    Post subject: rassman purple heart Reply with quote

I believe you are correct, if Rassman was wounded while attached to the mission it should have appeared in the spot reports. The number of friendly and enemy casualties would include USN,RF/PF etc .

What I think is important and very strange is Rassman has given numerous interviews and even mentioned Kerry's rice in the rear incident but has never said anything about his wound or purple heart. Hostile fire of course would be required for him to be awarded same, thus if that is the incident in which he was wounded, gives him cause to remember or believe there was in fact hostile fire.
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lrhachat
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Joined: 29 Aug 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 12:18 am    Post subject: Service numbers Reply with quote

Those are Service Numbers not SSAN, RA for enlisted US for draftee, I don't remember when they switch over to SSAN
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Wing Wiper
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Joined: 09 Aug 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 12:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I went in the Air Force in 1972, and we used our SSAN as identifier (service number), if that's any help.
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