War Hero?

[sfga6970]

An interesting editorial from the NY Post. Any comments?
JOHN KERRY, WAR HERO?


Email Archives Print ReprintApril 15, 2004 -- Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry has never been forthcoming about how he earned three Purple Heart medals in Vietnam - and the reason for his reticence appears now to be coming clear.



At least the first of the decorations - awarded for wounds suffered in combat - was received in circumstances that can best be described as dubious.

Kerry's commanding officer at the time, retired Lt. Cmdr. Grant Hibbard, told The Boston Globe that Kerry basically awarded himself a Purple Heart after receiving a superficial scratch in what Hibbard said was not even a firefight.

Kerry had volunteered for river patrol duty late in 1968.

He and his crew saw some Vietnamese running from a boat onto the beach, opened fire on them and then pulled out - apparently without taking return fire.

When the boat was safely back at base, Kerry "had a little scratch on his forearm, and he was holding a piece of shrapnel," Hibbard said Tuesday.

Though Hibbard says he did not want to give in to Kerry's insistence that he be considered for a Purple Heart - "I don't think he deserved one," Hibbard told The Post yesterday - he eventually did so.



It's not hard to imagine why.

Even then, Kerry had strong ties to the Kennedy machine in Massachusetts (Bobby Kennedy speechwriter Adam Walinsky wrote Kerry's famous 1971 anti-war Washington speech).

And the future commander-in-chief-wannabe certainly would have known that - under Pentagon rules then in effect - three Purple Hearts guaranteed him an early exit from the war.

One down, two to go? Seems so.

Kerry did leave Vietnam six months ahead of schedule - thanks to those Purple Hearts.

And he refuses to make public the detailed medical-treatment records relating to his wound - none of which, significantly, took him out of service for more than a day or two.

As noted, they did get him out of Vietnam - he won a cushy billet as an aide to an admiral. Presently he was out of the Navy altogether - also ahead of schedule - and free to begin his political career as an anti-war activist.

Yesterday, in response to questions about Kerry's Purple Heart, campaign aides released a document stating that Kerry received treatment for a wound suffered on Dec. 2, 1968.

Whether he required surgery or stitches - or even a Band-Aid - isn't specified.

And Hibbard told a reporter that the supposed wound resembled a scrape from a fingernail: "I've had thorns from a rose that were worse," he said.

Kerry wouldn't be the first to fabricate a combat decoration - if, in fact, that's what happened a long time ago.

But Kerry has forged a war-hero persona of particular relevance as he seeks to become a war-time president - in the here and now.

While other young Americans are earning Purple Hearts of their own, in Iraq and elsewhere around the world.

So it is time for Kerry to come clean.

He needs to authorize the release of all relevant medical records for each of his three Purple Hearts.

If Kerry's medals were deserved, he has nothing to fear.

If not - well, it's time to find that out.

[kruser79]

Hmmmmm, I seem to remember some wailing and gnashing of teeth over old records and documents not even three months ago. Anyone remember the scores of people lined up demanding President Bush release his records?
I think turn-about is fair play in this case. If GW can be labeled a coward and Vietnam dodger without any facts (or maybe because of the lack of facts), then why can't that apply to the man in whose behalf everyone strove so valiantly to besmirch him?

Now let me go back in the archives so that I can use the same wording. I think it went something like this......"He needs to come clean! He owes it to the American people to explain what he was doing! How can he be President if he keeps his records private!"

Did that sound familiar?

[The_Federalist]

I wonder if the media will pick up on this, or will simply let it fall into obscurity just as it did Clintons draft dodging.

[sfga6970]

Originally Posted by kruser79

Hmmmmm, I seem to remember some wailing and gnashing of teeth over old records and documents not even three months ago. Anyone remember the scores of people lined up demanding President Bush release his records?
I think turn-about is fair play in this case. If GW can be labeled a coward and Vietnam dodger without any facts (or maybe because of the lack of facts), then why can't that apply to the man in whose behalf everyone strove so valiantly to besmirch him?

Now let me go back in the archives so that I can use the same wording. I think it went something like this......"He needs to come clean! He owes it to the American people to explain what he was doing! How can he be President if he keeps his records private!"

Did that sound familiar?

I agree with what you said. I only posted the editorial to see how different people would respond. I believe that all politicians should make their records open and public.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by sfga6970

I agree with what you said. I only posted the editorial to see how different people would respond. I believe that all politicians should make their records open and public.

Kerry supporters were screaming for Bush's records to be released ... now it's their turn to demand their guy releases his. They were quick to condemn Bush for not being in Nam and having a "safe" job in the Guard
My ex spent his last few years in the Guard in jets and all of his insurance policies had riders saying if he died on the job, he wasn't covered and they were liable -- so much for the safe job!

Politicians records should be open to the public and no one should get a pass. It's Kerry's turn now for full disclosure.

[Carnage_59]

Kerry also used a little known Navy reg in place at the time that if a sailor gets wounded three times in an active theater he gets to go back to the real world early. When he got his third Purple Heart in four months he went back to the USA.

I'd love to see the citations on his Purple Hearts.. they are public records. Also, I'd really like to see his medical records on his tour of 'Nam. Unfortunately those are not public records.

[cb88]

sfga, I thought this was going to be another Jessica Lynch thread!

On a more serious note, I agree with everything said. Come clean with the records, if he has nothing to hide/be ashamed of, then the records will show that.