SwiftVets.com

[redhawk34]

I was fortunate to serve in Vietnam under the command of (then) LTC A.W. Malone, US Infantry. He remains the finest soldier I have ever met, and, for those of us lucky enough to have served under his command, he will forever remain "The Colonel."
I post below, with his permission, his response to comments from Vietnam Veteran Doug Hamilton.
The action cited by the Colonel was initiated by the sinking of my LCM-8 in an ambush, and I can testify to the accuracy of the 155s and the F-100s.
Redhawk


"Echoing Doug Haviland's on Sunday, Sep 12th, few if any Viet Nam Veterans will vote for Senator Kerry. Discarding questions as to the validity of his medals and actions during the short time he was in Viet Nam (and, I, too was in Viet Nam for two years.), the flat out lies Senator Kerry told and the libel he placed on the many of us who were in ground combat there are completely unacceptable! In fact, to many of us, his alignment with the traitor, Jane Fonda, places him in the same boat. At the time of his "testimony" Mr. Kerry was still "in the Service" and in our view should have been Court-Martialed! Political expediency and opportunism seem to have driven his actions even beyond the generous limits normally encountered in American politics.

And the commentors who attack President Bush for his National Guard service should be aware that they are slandering the hundreds of thousands of National Guard and Reserve personnel that have served this country well in peace and war for over 50 years! Well do I remember after one difficult fight in 'Nam, when the 155mm howitzer artillery battery firing in our support was offered a "Well Done" and replied "Courtesy of your Mississippi National Guard"!!! And when the Air Force F-100 flight dropping bombs in our support, and incidentally doing a GREAT job, turned out to be partially manned by Air National Guard pilots! You may not like the President or some of his policies, but don't make the mistake of denigrating the service of the many, many, men and women that have served and are serving in our National Guard and Reserve Components. Utterly stupid move."

Albert W. Malone
Col., Inf, USA Ret'd
199th Inf Bde (Sep) (Lt)
5th Battalion, 12th United States Infantry

[Arty Guy]

Well said. The thought also occurred to me that, not only has the Kerry campaign made Viet Nam vets angry, but they are also now implicitly slandering the National Guard and other reserve components. I am sure the National Guard folks serving in Iraq as we speak take a negative view of the attacks on Bush's guard service, even if they don't care for Bush.

[Redleg]

Great comments from the Colonel regarding our Vets and the National Guard which I was also a member of for 4 years.
I do beileve that the vast majority of Vets will vote for George Bush this fall as many dem vets will cross over.
BTW, the "Redcatcher's" were an excellent unit in 'Nam especially during '68 Tet and the "68 May Offensive.
Less we forget, the 105's (pea-shooters) were the work horse's of many FSB's.
_________________
FIRE MISSION: Kerry campaign in line of sight.

[MACVJOE]

Sure would like the Col to send same to Gen McPeak USAF Ret. He is now a Kerry supporter and asisting in NG attack on Bush. I think he needs to turn in his Stars.
_________________
Retired 86 Army
MACV Upper Delta 68-69

[Arty Guy]

Somebody is hacking in here. I originally typed "d i m" view, not "Democrat" view in my post. When I go to edit it shows what I originally typed. I have changed the wording to "negative".

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Nobody is hacking in here. It's the word censor at work.

Various denigrations of the word, "Democrat" are turned into the word "Democrat" when the post is submitted.

The harshest pejorative I'd recommend for use here in regard to the Democrats that you object to is "leftists," or "socialists."

We have a lot of Democrats who support SBVFT. John O'Neill himself is primarily a Democratic supporter.

This forum should not feel like a hostile environment for the Democrats who participate here.

That John Kerry is unfit for command is the main, overriding message of ALL of these forums.

Hope that helps!
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[Arty Guy]

Useful information. Thanx.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

I did change the word from "dim" to the plural - so that you can now write "takes a dim view" without being censored!

Just don't try to write "when he dim$ the lights," or it will come out "whe he Democrats the lights!"
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[Arty Guy]

I personally would not attack the Democrat Party as an institution anyway. I have disdain for Kerry and the "Kerry Campaign", "liberals", McAulife, and the Clintons. But I think that Zell Miller is right. His party has been hijacked. This was the party of FDR and Truman after all. While I disagree with most of the ideas that come out of the Democrat party, there really haven't been any new ideas in some time.

[Montana]

Agree with the Colonel´s comments about the Guard.

Some members of President Bush´s Guard unit served
in Vietnam. Some did not.

I also know many who joined the reserves, thinking
they would avoid Vietnam and the draft, but some still
ended up in Vietnam.

There are also members of all components of the Reserve
and Guard who are buried in Arlington. Some won the Medal
of Honor.

One should be careful who one criticizes (I´m talking about
Mr. Kerry)

Montana