 |
SwiftVets.com
Service to Country
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Navymomx2
Lt.Jg.
Joined: 11 May 2004
Posts: 149
Location: Washington
|
 Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:22 pm Post subject: Am I Mixing Up Stories or Missing Something Here? |
 |
|
I have been reading old newspaper articles online and came across this one dated December 22, 1971 from the Coshocton Tribune, Coshocton, Ohio.
| Quote: | Anti-Vietnam Hero Cool, Angry by Murray Olderman
San Francisco---(NEA)
John Kerry had to make a decision. The three gunboats sailing up the narrow ribbon of river in Vietnam were weighted down with 30 troops each. Creeping along at 10 knots an hour. The shores were thick with mangrove. Ambush country. And then from the dense brush, the telltale puffs of smoke, the spatter of bullets.
Naval Lieutenant Kerry, the tactical officer for the mission quickly decided. He ordered the boats turned sharply right and beached. With him leading the way, they jumped ashore and through mangrove, in the face of fire, and quickly overran and captured the Viet Cong position.
For this John Kerry received the Silver Star---to go in the same drawer with the Bronze Star and the 3 Purple Hearts he also received in the course of valourous action in Vietnam. |
Now this is why I am confused and could have something mixed up. Is this the scene in which he beached his boat and went after the young man he shot? I thought I read somewhere his boat was alone, yet there are 2 other boats. I know from all the reporting that there were only what 5-6 men on each of these boats which Kerry served on yet in the article it's saying 30 troops on each.
I have heard the other side say the "Other's" in the ad didn't serve on Kerry's boat and they were 1/2 a football field away, yet this description more fits with the pics someone posted on here with the 3 boats traveling together up the Mekong.
Another part I found interesting and had to laugh was:
| Quote: | | "Looking back" he says, "I'm embarrassed by the fact I was over there shooting. One can't look back without feeling I was shooting without justification, morally. And yet I had no compunctions then. It was a life and death situation. But in retrospect it all seems absurd." |
He was EMBARRASSED and yet now he is PROUD, flip flop!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
rbshirley
Founder
Joined: 07 May 2004
Posts: 394
|
| Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:30 pm Post subject: Re: Am I Mixing Up Stories or Missing Something Here? |
|
|
| Navymomx2 wrote: | I am confused and could have something mixed up.
He was EMBARRASSED and yet now he is PROUD, flip flop!! |
No confusion Navymomx2
Correct exaggerated story. Correct conclusion.
Only one of many concerning his very short tour.
Buy the book. The facts about AFTER he returned
to the United States are even more revealing.
. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Navymomx2
Lt.Jg.
Joined: 11 May 2004
Posts: 149
Location: Washington
|
| Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 7:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
RB,
I am going to buy the book. I can't wait to get my hands on it.
Can you or someone clarify for me, would there have been or was there 30 troops on each of the 3 boats in this incident?
I've been running some searches on this and am getting conflicting info.
Thanks |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
You GottaBeKidding
Rear Admiral
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
Posts: 692
|
| Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
NavyMomx,
I'm not sure I've even seen a Swift boat, but from reading lots of info here, it seems that the boats carried six people. I'm guessing that might be give or take one or two, depending on the circumstances, but that's still a very small number. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mtboone
Founder
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 470
Location: Kansas City, MO.
|
| Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 9:04 pm Post subject: Am I mixing up stories. |
|
|
"Can you or someone clarify for me, would there have been or was there 30 troops on each of the 3 boats in this incident? "
This was the writting of the Chronology of Highlights for CosDiv 11 Command History. This is what jfk won his Silver Star for.
2/28/69 PCFs 23, 43 and 94 returned to the Bay Hap and Landed Cai Nuoc RF/PF troops at ambush sites along the banks. Sweep uncovered numerous spent small arms ammo and spider holes. Troops embarked again and proceeded to the Dong Cung canal where PCFs encountered enemy initiated firefight. OTC directed the PCFs into beach where VC attempted to escape. Troops disembaked in pursuit of VC. Results were 10 VC KIA (BC), 1 VC WIA(escaped), 3 VC CIA, 1 B-40 launcher with rockets CIA, 6 chicom rifles CIA, 30 sampans, 15 structures, 7 bunkers and 12 tons of rice destroyed. PCFs received light damage during operation. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
