SwiftVets.com

RMalloy · PO3 Joined: 23 Aug 2004 Posts: 280

This is from a breaking story on www.Wintersoldier.com under
Breaking News. Former Vietnam Veteran Against the War who gave testimony to war crimes in 1971 now says he was pressured by Kerry to do so and has sworn so in affidavit.

AFFIDAVIT OF STEVEN J. PITKIN
STATE OF FLORIDA

COUNTY OF PALM BEACH

Before me, the undersigned authority, personally appeared Steven J. Pitkin, known, to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to this instrument, who, after first being duly sworn by me, upon oath stated:

1. My name is Steven J. Pitkin. I am over the age of twenty-one years, and I am fully competent and able to make this affidavit. I am able to swear, as I do hereby swear, that all facts and statements contained in this affidavit are true and correct and within my personal knowledge.

2. I am a combat veteran of the Vietnam War, having served with the Ninth Division of the U.S. Army beginning 25 May 1969. A mortar explosion wounded me, my wounds gradually became infected, and I was treated in an Army hospital in Okinawa. I contracted hepatitis C from blood transfusions I received during that time. I was honorably discharged from the Army on 28 August 1969.

3. Medals received for my Army service include: Combat Infantry Badge, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, RVN Cross of Gallantry, Air Medal, Purple Heart.

4. During my service in Vietnam, I neither witnessed nor participated in any American war crimes or atrocities against civilians, nor was I ever aware of any such actions. I did witness the results of Vietcong atrocities against Vietnamese civilians, including the murder of tribal leaders.

5. Upon my return to the United States I encountered anti-war protestors who, at various times, threw feces, spit, and screamed obscenities.

6. I met Scott Camil, an organizer of Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), at Catonsville Community College in Baltimore in 1970, and joined that organization.

7. In January of 1971, I rode in a van with Scott Camil, John Kerry, a national leader of the VVAW, and others from Washington D.C. to Detroit to attend the Winter Soldier Investigation, a conference intended to publicize alleged American war crimes in Vietnam. Having no knowledge of such war crimes, I did not intend to speak at the event.

8. During the Winter Soldier Investigation, John Kerry and other leaders of that event pressured me to testify about American war crimes, despite my repeated statements that I could not honestly do so. One event leader strongly implied that I would not be provided transportation back to my home in Baltimore, Maryland, if I failed to comply. Kerry and other leaders of the event instructed me to publicly state that I had witnessed incidents of rape, brutality, atrocities and racism, knowing that such statements would necessarily be untrue.

9. In April 1971, I attended a VVAW protest in Washington D.C. known as “Dewey Canyon III.” During this event I was present when protestors, including John Kerry, threw medals and ribbons over a fence outside the U.S. Capitol. I witnessed a man holding a bag of ribbons and medals and handing them out to other protestors. I saw that many of the ribbons and medals were not those that would be received by veterans of combat in Vietnam.

10. During the “Dewey Canyon III” protest, others and I confronted protestors who were wearing or carrying Vietcong flags.

11. After the “Dewey Canyon III” protest, I was no longer invited to meetings of the VVAW in Baltimore, and ended my association with the organization.

12. I joined the 5/20th Special Forces Group of the Maryland National Guard in 1974, was graduated from paratrooper “jump school” with honors in 1976, joined the Coast Guard in 1978 and served there until my retirement in May 1997.

(signed) Steven J. Pitkin

Further affiant saith not.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 31st day of August, 2004.

Jonathan Feldman
Commission # DD235268
My commission expires July 28, 2007

Last Updated Monday, September 06 2004 @ 06:31 PM PDT

waltjones · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 5:32 am Post subject: Not surprising .....

This is very damaging to Kerry if true; can this be verified? Any chance of this getting on some "non-conservative" media, or even FOX? Stuff like this is just more fuel for the fire that's melting our boy down. Semper Fi!
_________________
Walt Jones (USMC, '65 - '69) It says much about the person who defends a man with no honor.

Me#1You#10 · Site Admin Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 6503

Welcome HOME Steve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.swiftvets.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=32717#32717

jack white · Seaman Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 179

If Steven J. Pitkin is real, he is the anti-Jim Rassman, isn't he?

His return to service after the VVAW incident indicates to me he may be for real. The threat not to give him a lift home if he didn't lie also strikes me as something that would be true.

This guy needs to start with a print outlet that will publish his story, if it checks out, like the Washington Times and span out from there.

bhlewis · Ensign Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 63

Direct Link:
http://ice.he.net/~freepnet/kerry/staticpages/index.php?page=YesterdaysLies1

Are you guys going to email any of the conservative talk shows about this? I'll go spread the news to some other message boards.

RickInDallas · Seaman Recruit Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 20

Bill O'Reilly's email is:

AskBill@BillOreilly.com

Me#1You#10 · Site Admin Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 6503

This is large folks.

Hammer2 · PO2 Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 387 Location: Texas

Just sent a note to Hannity with a link to the story.
_________________
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilence" - Thomas Jefferson
"An armed society is a polite society" - Thomas Jefferson
"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it won't be needed until someone tries to take it away." -- Thomas Jefferson

bsjracing · Seaman Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 199

Seems to me if this got to Drudge it would start snowballing...

(edit)Consider it sent to Drudge
_________________
A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

If you're going to burn the US flag, at least have the decency to wrap yourself in it first.

Hammer2 · PO2 Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 387 Location: Texas

Done Deal - Sent to Drudge.
_________________
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilence" - Thomas Jefferson
"An armed society is a polite society" - Thomas Jefferson
"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it won't be needed until someone tries to take it away." -- Thomas Jefferson

Son Of The Godfather · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 3:43 pm Post subject:

Holy bumping Moly!

SOTG
_________________
"Which candidate would enemies of the United States prefer to see in the White House?"

Nathanyl · PO3 Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 280

He's for-real. He's listed in the American War Library as having served in Vietnam and being in the army (no other info on him from that source though).

RemodelingGuy · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 4:46 pm Post subject:

redneckvet · Lt.Jg. Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Posts: 112 Location: NC

Steve Pitkin's testimony is listed in John Kerry's "New Soldier".

He's real!
_________________
"Full Tour Grunt"

Indianbaboon · Lieutenant Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 234

nice, tks for link, I definitely want to hear about a followup.