SwiftVets.com

[EODARMY]

Looking at the reports provided by the Kerry web site I think one can see in the detail that Kerry is a prime candidate for writing the Spot Report and Casualty Reports.

A. Spot Report dated 131620Z MAR 69 shows the following injuries:

1. Pees(PCF-3) ; head and back injuries(MEDEVAC)
2. Tryner(PCF-3); back injury (MEDEVAC)
3. Hollister(PCF-3); shrapnel wound groin (MEDEVAC)
4. Vorphal(PCF-3); Back injury (MEDEVAC)
5. Kerry(PCF-94); shrapnel wound left buttock and contusion Rt. Foreman (minor)
6. Wolfe(PCF-3); back injury, H contusions and abrasions (minor)
7. Arp(PCF-3); contusions and abrasions (minor)

Now if one looks at the above Spot Report, if someone other than Kerry wrote the report it would say something like Kerry; shrapnel back and arm contusions. The guy who wrote this Spot knew exactly which buttock (left) and which arm (right) (forearm). The others sailor’s injuries are pretty general but not Kerry’s.

Kerry was one of the 7 WIA sent to the USCGC Spencer for medical attention, thus he was in an excellent position to write the Casualty Reports as well. Kerry’s Casualty Report may have been the only one of the three minor injuries submitted (as no record is on the Kerry web site regarding Wolfe and Arp), plus it provides specific detail once again that only those on Kerry’s boat would know; “mine close aboard”

Isn’t it also remarkable that Kerry (Rassman?) was the only sailor injured outside of the PCF-3 boat! It’s also interesting to see that Hollister’s injury was changed to internal injuries groin on the Casualty Report, when it showed shrapnel groin on the Spot. This supports the argument that underwater mines do not generate fragmentation. A mine detonates under PCF-3 and none are fragged, but a mine close aboard PCF-94 hits Kerry inside the pilothouse in the buttocks! Interesting to see no Casualty Reports for the other two (minor) injuries, Wolfe and Arp. But there sure is a Casualty Report submitted for Kerry’s minor wound.

Also, very interesting to see a conflict between Spot Report and the Battle Damage Report which was submitted the next day, approximately 22 hours later. Spot says two additional mines but absolutely no mention of damage to Kerry’s boat PCF-94. But the Battle Damage Report 22 hours later states significant damage and line BRANO: 1. C-4. With all the small arms fire claimed, no battle damage indicated which supports small arms.

Conflict with Kerry’s Casualty Report and the Spot in that Kerry indicates mine detonated close aboard PCF-94 on his Casualty Report but nothing substantiates this on the Spot.. With the level of damage reported in the Battle Damage Report 22 hours later, this level of damage surely would have been briefly identified in the Spot Report, along with the obvious damage to PCF-3, but it was not..

[drjohn]

How in the heck could Kerry get shrapnel in his butt and be the ONLY one on 94 to be injured from a mine that far away?

[FF1047]

an underwater mine would normally not have shrapnel in it (unlike a land mine) the main purpose of an underwater mine would be to displace as much water as quickly as possible to slam a boat with the concussion ...

no way there was any shrapnel ...
_________________
JJC
USNA class of 1980

[JROTC]

Good evaluation. Please remember, gentlemen, that the buttock injury came earlier in the day when he and Mr. Rassmann blew up rice piles. Supposedly, it's either sharpnel or rice - want to make a bet on which?
_________________
"It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it" - General Douglas MacArthur

[EODARMY]

Apparently a majority were of Czech and Chinese origin and the BDR shows C-4 which also may indicate just a plastic in his own words!!

One can almost see the possible fraud developing over the course of the two days, the 13 and 14th of Mar 69 with the BDR sealing the underwater mine story!

[arymann]

Where does the shrapnel in the thigh come from, which according to Kerry, "he carries to this day"?

I guess the thigh bone is connected to the buttock bone, or was the thigh shrapnel form another incident?

[neverforget]

Probably a good idea to send your analysis to Major Garrett, FOX News.

[EODARMY]

It's not the initial blast of water (Which can be considerable) that does the damage with an underwater mine. Accually. the the idea is to create a bubble or a hole if you will in the water. When the ship comes back down, into the void, it breaks the back of the ship!

[zinfella]

[EODARMY]

Next to dirt, sand, steel, and concrete; water is one hell of a medium for stopping projectiles. Any shrapnel coming off a mine underwater would be contained very quickly by the water. It would also be a low velocity projectile, unlike that generated by a rifle. Thus, just exactly why underwater mines contain little or nothing that would generate frag. I just don't see it.

[SF]

I believe the thigh shrapnel was from another incident, not the March 13 affair.

[zinfella]

[drjohn]

[brat]

the shrapnel in the back of the thigh still in him was from 2/20 and a crewmate thorsen received shrapnel in the right arm same time..sounds like kerry was not facing the enemy or was he throwing fragment grenades contra orders on PCF's three men in black pajamas reported on port side at that time...was Kerry in the pilothouse when injured?

land mines like claymores I blelieve had a maximun potential underwater of two hours before being waterlogged...of course if they were coming back from a mission earlier in the day it might be possible..but since the 3 boat was lifted 2 feet out of the air and no shrapnel wounds it seems to have been c-4 non metal plastic explosive in my opinion.

[EODARMY]

his thigh wound was associated with his second PH