SwiftVets.com

[USKafir01]

I am sure that it is being discussed amongst most of you - the recent John Kerry scandal. Being the intelligent people that I know all of you are, you're probably trying to weigh the truths from all of this.

Had I not bought and read the book, "Unfit For Command" by John E. O'Neill, I would have never believed some of the accusations. But there was more evidence and it was sitting in a box up in my attic.

But then again, memories have surfaced - back when I was onboard USS Forrestal (CV-59) in 1981. These memories were quite sobering, believe me. I was going through some of my journals and made an amazing discovery. Some entries I made in an older journal from my days onboard my first ship.

Back then, I was a young seaman - an RMSN. I met plenty of friends back then and some of them worked in different divisions throughout the ship. One of them was a Chief, a Boatswain's Mate (BMC) who served with me onboard. James, it turned out, was one of those chiefs who'd talk with you if you ever needed any advice - a true, down to earth leader and a good friend. I used to sit and listen to James talk about his days over in Vietnam. He used to work up in the Foc'sle area which was directly above our crew's lounge in CR Division.

I distinctly remember James talking about an officer named LT(jg) John Kerry. We were talking about officers - the good and bad ones. Nearly all enlisted folk talk about officers during their careers. There are good officers and bad, just like us. At the time, I was having a run-in with my division head over a failed uniform inspection, and went to seek advice from James on how to straighten my uniforms (and act) out. He gave me advice on the type of officer to avoid and to never mess around with, the sort that would stab you in the back, and he came up with Kerry as being one of the sort to steer clear from, and to always "watch my six" around "this type" of naval officer. Of course, it turns out that my division head was a lot like John Kerry.

Turned out that James worked under Kerry in the same coastal division boat squadron over in Vietnam as did LT(jg) Kerry. He never had many nice things to say about Kerry:

- Was pompous and felt that just because he was an officer, people had to snap at full attention whenever he walked into a room or came onboard the swift boat;

- Worried about getting his hands dirty and never helped to moor the boat nor work alongside his enlisted men;

- Never cared too much at all for his enlisted men and wrote poor evaluations on most of them;

- Backed down from verbal commands that might have been given earlier to enlisted - especially if it meant he was getting in trouble for issuing them;

- Took cowardly actions and maneuvered away from hostile fire on the rivers, even when other boats needed assistance and backup firepower;

- Always took steps to ensure that whenever group photos were taken, he was in the center of the pictures.

"Look out for these type of clowns and do whatever you can to avoid them and you'll be okay," James told me.

These memories surfaced back a few months ago as I am in the process of writing my own book, my memoirs - which tells the story of my naval career from start to finish. This same man, John Kerry, is now running for president. Small world.

OTHER DISTURBING FACTS ABOUT JOHN KERRY

- Criticized Vietnam Vets for war crimes when he in fact destroyed an innocent South Vietnamese settlement in Vietnam with a lighter. Upon his command, he ordered his GM to open fire on pigs and chickens;

- Went to meet with the North Vietnamese Peace Delegation while he was in the United States Naval Reserve (note: Kerry didn't leave the Reserves until 1978);

- Supported a surrender of US forces from South Vietnam on the enemy's terms while he was still in the Reserves;

- Declared and praised Ho Chi Minh as being "the George Washington of North Vietnam";

- Threw away his medals over a fence (this is while he was still in the Naval Reserves);

- Wrote a book called "The New Soldier" which featured hippies surrounding a US flag upside down (while he was still in the Reserves);

- Fellow officers declared him incompetent and most of all untrustworthy, especially during stressful times under enemy fire.

These are just a few of the facts are discussed in the book.

I request that all of you seriously consider, if you have not done so already, to buy the book, Unfit For Command, and read it. I am not here to tell you who to vote for in the upcoming elections, but I can say that Kerry will not be my choice of candidate.

If Kerry is your choice, more power to you. I am merely stating what I have noted about him.

This is the vote of our lifetime. I hope that my fellow US Navy veterans, both active and retired, take heed to my message here and make the right decisions come voting time.

I hope that all of you are safe and are still working hard. I am proud to have served alongside each and every one of you who is addressed in this email. Please, as always, stay in touch.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PASS THIS AROUND TO YOUR COMRADES IF YOU AGREE!!! FLUSH THE "JOHNS" COME THIS NOVEMBER 2ND!!!!