if he rescued 100 green berets and their sisters it would not repair the harm he caused hundreds of p.o.w.s by his anti war propaganda upon his return.(after 4 mos in country).his testimony was used as background noise during their torture for Gods sake.he should be behind bars.

Kerry is enjoying all this swift boat stuff and he knew it was going to happen which is one of the reasons he focused on Vietnam in his speech.  It takes away from the fact that he has no legislative record to stand on and even though his voting record is bad, he is still was not a player in any way.  What has he done?  Nothing, not even bad.   He is an arrogant prick of a man who wanted to be a senator to have that type of lifestyle.  The swift boat stuff is a good diversion from the fact that he is an ineffective legislator and elitist prick.

I find the story interesting also.

One interesting aspect it that it appears Kerry's boat "ran away" after another boat hit a mine, but all of the other boats stayed. Maybe that's not Kerry's side of the story, I don't know, but it sure seems funny to give a medal to someone who ran away while all the rest stayed.

A point that I'm not clear on is the issue of enemy fire. Is the claim that they didn't recieve enemy fire, or that they did but it was over with when Kerry's boat got back and he pulled the GB from the water?

Kerry's version:  Under heavy enemy fire.
          'Other version' ( I would characterize as the truth):  No injuries sustained by any Swift boat crewmembers/passengers, other than those on the boat that struck the mine.
Kerry's version:  He was bleeding and in pain when he helped GB Rassman out of the water.
          'Other version':  Doctor that treated Kerry reported a contusion.  No stitches or hospital time.


Sometimes, 2 plus 2 does equal 4.  Kerry had learned about the three Purple Heart rule.  The self-inflicted M79 splinter removed with tweezers and covered with a band-aid,  and the contusion mentioned above helped Kerry avoid serving the remaining seven and a half months of his tour.  
When home and his medals had served there purpose, he claimed to have thrown them away during a protest.  Later, he had to admit that he didn't throw away his own medals.  It seems he and I both have some ambivalence about his Purple Hearts.  He was awarded three and yet he spent no time in a hospital.  Some of our guys only got one and spent months or years in hospitals and VA centers.  I guess I'm just old school.  The math does not favor Kerry.

Of interesting note, and one to definitely be researched.....the local radio talk show was discussing this...I THINK, but am not sure, they were speaking to one of the Swift Boat veterans, and he brought up an interesting point. Were the boats to be under 'sustained' heavy fire, would then not there have been damage done to the boats, even so little as dent/holes from enemy fire? Would not there have been at least a handful wounded? Would there not have been an incident report that would describe the damage to the boats, and logs covering the repair of them? Interesting, how none of that happens to exist.

Quoted: I agree. The ONLY part that bothers me is GB Rassman supports Kerry's claim.

Personally, if someone fished me out of the drink shortly after having made contact with the enemy, I'd probably consider him to be my hero, too. Wouldn't have mattered if it had been Jane Fonda who pulled me out – I'd still be eternally grateful.

Q: Does that qualify as heroism?
A: Only to the person who was "rescued".

Doesnt his own diary say (several days later) that they had not recieved any enemy fire yet?

I thought I understood that the GB and Kerry were together for the grenade into the rice incident earlier in the day. I suspect that there is a little friendship/I owe you one going on here.

Reporting On Drudge 8/24/04: Kerry's campaign now says is possible first Purple Heart was awarded for unintentional self-inflicted wound... * Kerry received Purple Heart for wounds suffered on 12/2/68... * In Kerry's own journal written 9 days later, he writes he and his crew, quote, 'hadn't been shot at yet'... Developing...

Sorry, it was about his 3rd PH.
My bad.

So much bullshit here its hard to wade thru.

One thing that troubles me about it is...an account I heard said there were SEVERAL guys in the water.
All of them had to be pulled out by SOMEBODY...But only Kerry got a medal, for the one he pulled out.
Whats up with THAT?

Kinda sounds like the other guys considered it to be a routine part of their job, to come to the aid of another serviceman in trouble.
Didnt think they needed medals for doing it, and werent put in for medals.

Quoted: But he supported the claim that Kerry was under fire during the rescue. Not a detail I'd think would be missed by a GB. And I don't think he'd simply manufacture or go along with it out of gratitude. A GB would probably say he was not coherent enough to recall at the time.

He's one the few witnesses who claims that Kerry was under fire at the time.

I believe he's sincere. I just don't believe he's objective, which is understandable under the circumstances. GB or not, he's only human.

Were the boats firing suppressive fire while the rescue was going on?
I haven't read the book.