SwiftVets.com

4moreyears · Former Member Joined: 08 Aug 2004 Posts: 591

jalexon

Not too far fetched in my honest opinion. I've floated the same thought. The problem is a reluctance of many to broadly criticize Kerry's crew mates.

But you remember the old saying..."Hang us one and hang us all". Lying to protect one's self and one's shipmates...sure! War crimes trials are no fun and have no statute of limitations.
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kerry returned to the United States on July 22, 1971, held a press conference publicly calling on President Nixon... for the surrender of the United States to North Vietnam.

hanna · Rear Admiral Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 701

U S Army EOD · Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 4:53 pm Post subject:

hanna,

I did the same for some of the men in my unit that needed help. I also went to great lengths to let them all know that they had been grostly contaminated with Agent Orange.

I wonder how many of Kerry's men joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, none of my people did.
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Wootten A. York

CO
8th Ord Det (EOD) ROK 68-69
542 Ord Det (EOD) CONUS 70-71
99th Ord Det (EOD) RVN 72-73

hanna · Rear Admiral Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 701

As far as I know, they didn't. In fact were surprised about his anti-war activity. My thinking tho is....and I admit this is very skeptical, but I think that was published in an article to make Kerry look like a good guy....SENSITIVE:) I doubt if he did that and if he did, he did it for ulterior motives. See what happens when people lie......they become suspect in everything they do.

baldeagl · PO3 Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 260 Location: Texas

When Kerry left Nam, he arranged for all his PCF-94 crewmates to be transferred out of the war zone. When Mike Medeiros objected, Kerry begged him to leave. This is a matter of public record - http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061603_p.shtml

During the Silver Star incident, all of Kerry's crewmates were also awarded medals - Tommy Beladeaou and Mike Medeiros got Bronze Stars and Fred Short, Gene Thorsen and Del Sandusky all got Navy Commendation Medals with Combat V Devices. This too is a matter of public record - page 294 - Tour of Duty - picture here - http://www.independentsforkerry.org/uploads/media/kerry-vietnam.html

In 1996, Kerry got his crewmates back together to relive old times. Since that time Del Sandusky has campaigned for Kerry.

In 1999 Kerry sent his staff to "rescue" Sandusky when he was depressed, drinking and suicidal over the loss of a Nam buddy, put him in the hospital and got him the help that he needed. (This is admirable if there were no ulterior motives.) Only Kerry could say if there were. I personally think Kerry always has ulterior motives. That's been his M.O. all his life. (Think super 8 camera and reenactments in a war zone.)

So the crew of the 94 has some powerful incentives to speak positively about Kerry, no matter what they may have thought of him at the time.

There's plenty of reasons to believe they aren't being totally forthright. A study of their many accountings of various incidents under his command reveals a startling disregard for consistency in their story telling.

I don't know of any reasons why the crew of the 44 would be similarly inclined (and of course Gardner is not.) If anyone does, I'd like to see the links.
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antimedia
USN OST-6 68-74
http://antimedia.blogspot.com/