Medal of Honor Recipients Support President Bush (email)

[VolcanoJen]

I like to keep tabs on the other side, so I signed up ages ago to receive these email blasts from the Bush/Cheney folks.

Check out their latest tactic:

---

Open letter to veterans signed by twenty-one Medal of Honor recipients]

Dear fellow veterans:

We have listened to Senator Kerry falsely attack President Bush for months over funding for veterans, and it's time to set the record straight. The truth is President Bush has led the way on improving veterans' benefits, supporting our troops and restoring honor and dignity to the White House.

Since 2001, President Bush has increased veterans funding by over $20 billion, and funding for veterans' health care has increased by 40 percent since he took office. Funding for veterans has gone up twice as fast under President Bush as it did under President Clinton, and those who accuse the President of cutting funding are simply not being honest with veterans.

Meanwhile, John Kerry voted against a $1.3 billion increase in veterans health care, skipped votes on concurrent receipt and voted against funding for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. And while he talks a good game, Kerry's record shows he is out of the mainstream. The American Flag symbolizes our ideals, our history and our values. President Bush shares this belief and supports a Constitutional Amendment banning desecration of the Flag. John Kerry believes this is "an attack on free speech."

We are disturbed that John Kerry would try to scare veterans with his false accusations, and we are disappointed in his lack of support for today's troops. Please join us in setting the record straight and showing your support for President Bush -- a leader who has proven his support for those who have served, backs our troops defending our nation and shares our values.

Sincerely,

[Mz Pip]

1. Link is to

W's website. Can't expect a whole lot of honesty from there.

How many Medal of Honor winners are there? I'd be curious to see if there are just as many supporting Kerry.

MzPip
:dem:

[VolcanoJen]

2. Since 1861, more than 3,400 Medals of Honor have been awarded.

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/moh1.htm

Many of them are awarded posthumously, of course. The last awards were given to MSgt Gary Gordon and Sgt Randall Shughart in 1993; both were fatally wounded in the Somalia "Black Hawk Down" incident.

This is an interesting ploy by the Bushies; I'm sure we'll see it emerge as a major talking point next week.

[merh]

3. It appears that Mr. Hernandez is very old from the looks of

his handwriting. 21 out of how many medal of honor recipients from which wars?

It would be interesting to research all their names to discover what connections they have to * (is Robert Bush a relative) and/or to corporations profiting from * little ole invasion.

[VolcanoJen]

4. Robert Bush served in WWII

I was mistaken... thought Robert Bush was a Vietnam vet.

My thought was that if Robert Bush were a Vietnam veteran, it would be a safe bet to assume he's not a member of the Bush Family. :D

[merh]

31. Maybe we should send Mr. Robert Bush the list of the admin's cuts.

He lives in Washington and seems to be doing well for himself.
"Bush enrolled in classes at the University of Washington and then bought a small lumber company and spent the next 50 years building it in into a multi-million dollar business."

Here is his partial bio and link to complete bio:

==================
Robert Bush
Born: October 4, 1926
Tacoma, Washington

War: World War II
Rank: Hospital Apprentice First Class, US Naval Reserve (serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company)
Location of action: Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands
Date of action: May 2, 1945
Medal received from: President Harry Truman, October 5, 1945

Official Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands, 2 May 1945. Fearlessly braving the fury of artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire from strongly entrenched hostile positions, Bush constantly and unhesitatingly moved from one casualty to another to attend the wounded falling under the enemy's murderous barrages. As the attack passed over a ridge top, Bush was advancing to administer blood plasma to a marine officer lying wounded on the skyline when the Japanese launched a savage counterattack. In this perilously exposed position, he resolutely maintained the flow of life-giving plasma. With the bottle held high in one hand, Bush drew his pistol with the other and fired into the enemy's ranks until his ammunition was expended. Quickly seizing a discarded carbine, he trained his fire on the Japanese charging pointblank over the hill, accounting for six of the enemy despite his own serious wounds and the loss of one eye suffered during his desperate battle in defense of the helpless man. With the hostile force finally routed, he calmly disregarded his own critical condition to complete his mission, valiantly refusing medical treatment for himself until his officer patient had been evacuated, and collapsing only after attempting to walk to the battle aid station. His daring initiative, great personal valor, and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in service of others reflect great credit upon Bush and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Bio:
Bob Bush was born in Tacoma, Washington and entered the military in 1943 at age 17. He dropped out of high school and went to Idaho for basic training in the Naval Medical Corps. Less than a year later he was disembarking an amphibious assault vehicle going ashore at Okinawa Japan for what became the longest bloodiest battle in the Pacific theater of WWII. His actions during that battle earned him the Medal of Honor.

(snip)

Several monuments have been built in Bush’s honor: a statue depicting him in action located in his hometown of South Bend, Washington; the Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital, located in Twentynine Palms, California and the Bush Health Care Clinic, located in Camp Courtney, Okinawa, Japan.

Of Note: Tom Brokaw has a chapter about Bob Bush in his book “The Greatest Generation”.

http://www.pbs.org/weta/americanvalor/stories/bush.html

[VolcanoJen]

34. Great research, merh!

A wealth of information is developing in this thread. :D

[merh]

37. What's the date of the letter?

Robert M. Bush, CEO of Bayview Building Materials, Tumwater WA gave $250 to RNC on 4/2/2004. (Just beginning research, if this the same fellow that signed, wonder how much he and his company have given to the RNC?)

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?txtName=Bush&txtState=&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2004=Y&txt2002=&txt2000=&txt1998=&txt1996=&txt1994=&txt1992=&txt1990=&txtSoft=N&Order=N&Cycles=1&Cycle1=2004&Cycle2=&Cycle3=&Page=6

on edit: It appears that Robert M. Bush is the son

Bayview from Past to Present
Bayview Building Materials has a sense of tradition and a commitment to customer satisfaction. See how the company was built and how the people who work at Bayview are eager to help its customers.
My father, Robert E. Bush, started Bayview Building Materials in South Bend, WA in 1952 with his partner Vic Druzanich. They increased their stores to eight and after many enjoyable years sold their locations, one of which was the Elma Location I purchased in 1984. We have continued their tradition of having lumber and hardware stores for our communities. With the help of Ace Hardware we have expanded our product lines. Customer satisfaction builds our success.

http://www.bayviewelma.com/about.htm

[Torgo4]

5. List of Living MOH Recipients

http://www.mishalov.com/Living_MoH_Recipients.html

[luaneryder]

12. post in error

[jmowreader]

22. It's also "Rodolfo" not "Rodlofo"

Hmmm...I'm researching...

[Mz Pip]

6. From looking at the site

it looks like there are a whole lot more than 21 of these medal winners out there. I guess Kerry will put together his own list.

I don't know where they are getting the figures about increases in benefits under Bush. I kept a list of all the cuts Bush made but it's on my other computer. It doesn't jive with the Bush site.

MzPip
:dem:

[VolcanoJen]

7. There are 63 living MoH recipients from the Vietnam War...

... 49 from WWII, and 18 from Korea, respectively.

The majority of the MoH recipients on Bush's list are from Vietnam. I imagine this information will prompt Kerry to assemble a similar list, although I do hope we don't end up getting in some kind of MoH pissing contest, as each of these recipients should be honored and respected for what they've done.

Nothing in that letter jives with what I understand about Bush and vet benefits, of course. That's to be expected with this administration, isn't it? :-(

[merh]

9. The information in the letter does not jive with what I understand to be

* efforts to cut veteran benefits. That is why I commented on the age of a signer, what possible relationship they may have to * and/or to any corporation receiving benefits from the war.

[Mz Pip]

10. When I get back home

I'll send you the links that I have on all the cuts Bush made. It's pretty extensive.

Sad to say this race will have more than its share of pissing contests. I am truly saddened at the polarization that this country is experiencing. I hope Kerry can be more of a uniter but I suspect the Repugs will be looking for Impeachable offenses as soon as Kerry is sworn in.

MzPip
:dem:

[VolcanoJen]

11. Thanks, mzpip!

:D

[murielm99]

13. Can you post the list of the cuts?

I would like to see it too, and possibly bookmark it.

Thanks.

[Mz Pip]

29. Will do!

I've bookmarked this thread.
MzPip
:dem:

[LittleApple81]

8. Key: shares our VALUES. "Values" will HIDE any other thought

these MOH recipients might dare to have about the CIC.

[VolcanoJen]

15. You've got that right.

Values, values, values. It's the Bush Administration's new buzzword.

:eyes:

[UTUSN]

14. This MoH Veterans-Baiting Hits a Raw Nerve

During our trauma of the 2000 coup d'etat, the image of the 5 or 6 Medal of Honors holders standing on a Repuke stage, wearing their medals and VFW or American Legion caps was just OUTRAGEOUS!!! Along with JEFFERSON's "wall of separation" of church/state, one of our rockbed principles is that the military should not be political, that the military AND THE FLAG AND THE COUNTRY belong to ALL of us. Back at that time I called the VFW and Legion headquarters and asked somebody whether these two organizations were supposed to be non-partisan, and they said YES--and I gave them the complaint in no uncertain terms. A few months ago the VFW Magazine ran a brief, dismissive, slanted little summary of KERRY's Vietnam record and medals, emphasizing how supposedly "slight" one of the wounds for the Purple Hearts was. I talked to the editor who wrote it, and he was hostile and aggressive, using the standard wingnut trick that O'REILLY uses all the time, demanding that the complainant list multiple "examples" of slant covering years and all the issues of the magazine. When I repeated I was calling specifically about this page 8, he hung up. I then called the national headquarters of the VFW and talked to the head honcho's executive assistant, who heard me out and agreed that there was a slant. I cited the Florida Repuke stage, the MoH dudes and the VFW caps.

Let me at'em, let me at'em. Looking for an e-addy for these MoH dudes.

[VolcanoJen]

16. Excellent work last time, UTUSN. Please keep it up.

In no way should MoH recipients be used as political toys. This is why I'm loathe to see Kerry get into a pissing contest with these guys.

What can I do, and who should I write?

[UTUSN]

18. Some E-addys

Found the e-letter you posted, on the Shrub-CHEENEE official website, and it had this interesting disclaimer:

http://www.georgebush.com/News/Read.aspx?ID=2971

*The signatures on this letter of Medal of Honor recipients does not denote the support or endorsement of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society


Congressional Medal of Honor Society: http://www.cmohs.org/

http://www.cmohs.org/society/contact.htm

Email address: [e-mail]


National headquarters address:
40 Patriots Point Road,
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
Telephone:
You can call Victoria Leslie at
[phone]

Normal Business hours are 9am-5pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday

FAX number:
843-884-1471
Send all correspondence to Victoria Leslie

---------------------------------------

Cong MoH Foundation (for preservation of what the medal represents) : http://www.cmohfoundation.org/

Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation
Attn: Nicholas B. Kehoe
Foundation President
40 Patriots Point Road
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

[VolcanoJen]

19. So, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society is non-partisan...

... but Medal of Honor recipients are partisan?

At any rate, that's an interesting disclaimer that certainly doesn't appear in the e-mail blast sent out to Bush supporters.

Thanks for the email addy's UTUSN, and let's stay on top of this.

[UTUSN]

20. Here's My E-ltr to Them

(& re: "non-partisan"-------the official society is about the award itself and all of the recipients. Individuals, apart from the Society, come in all stripes and consciousness or apathy. Like with the anti-KERRY swift boat wingnuts.)

My e-mail:

I am an individual veteran speaking only for myself, not for any veterans’ organization or political party.

During the election crisis of 2000, a group of Medal of Honor recipients participated in a highly partisan media event, standing on a Republican stage, wearing their medals and, as I remember, their VFW or American Legion caps, endorsing candidate Bush. Now, the official Bush-Cheney website is carrying a letter of endorsement by some 20 MoH recipients.

(This recent e-letter can be found here: http://www.georgebush.com/News/Read.aspx?ID=2971 )


One of the rockbed principles that we are educated about from an early age in our country is that the military is NON-POLITICAL, belonging to ALL of us, like the flag and the country itself. While my own and any veteran’s rights to whatever political beliefs are beyond being questioned, I find it personally outrageous that military decorations and veterans’ organization’s emblems be used for partisan endorsements.

I am submitting this concern to the Congressional MoH Society, the CMoH Foundation for preservation of the significance of the Medal, and the Bush-Cheney website.

[VolcanoJen]

21. Fantastic letter!

Well-written, and even poignant. Please, please keep us updated if there is a response.

This is a cause worthy of an email campaign, especially considering the significance of the Medal, as you wrote.

[merh]

36. Great letter - thank you for your efforts. Let us know if you get a

response.

[merh]

28. I find it appalling that * uses the military bases as his campaign stops.

He is a reprehensible, evil creature. I always thought that was unlawful, but I guess it is just morally wrong, so * doesn't care.

[UTUSN]

30. What Senator Enron, uh, Phil GRAHAM Used to Do

Before he and Mrs Wendy Enron GRAHAM departed the national scene SO SUDDENLY after the Enron crash (coincidence. Cough).

Office holders get lots of requests from vets for assistance in getting medals that were never issued. This is an easy, feel-good type thing that allows the office holders to pander and to get good publicity in the local media. Sometimes the office holders make the presentations personally for photo ops, uh, I mean, for honoring the vets.

The protocol would be to make the presentation at a NON-PARTISAN locale, like at a VFW hall or county courthouse. Well, Senator Enron would make the presentations at REPUKE PARTY HEADQUARTERS. His staff would say that the locale is up to the veteran to choose.

[OKNancy]

17. If someone wanted to take time to do the research

It would be interesting to see just what their political donations have been and what their past records are politically.

One could argue, that they aren't supporting him as MoH winners, they are supporting him because they are REPUBLICANS!!!

[erpowers]

23. Letter is a Bit Misleading

It is true that funding for veterans has gone up since Bush took office, but that has little to do with Bush. If you go to factcheck.org you will find an article that explains that funding has gone up simply because more veterans are reaching the age where they can receive their benefits. also, Bush threatened to veto the $87 billion if the version he wanted did not get passed. Finally Colin Powell and other veterans are also against a constitutional amendment banning flag burning. They are opposed to the amendment for the same reasons Kerry is opposed to the amendment.

[VolcanoJen]

25. Great debunk, erpowers!

:toast:

[proud patriot]

24. Breaking News - 21 out of 149 Medal of Honor recipients endorse bush

Whoopty doo :eyes:

I feel a bumper sticker in the works :evilgrin:

[jmowreader]

26. Wars served in by these 21

John Baker Jr: Vietnam
Patrick Brady: Vietnam
Robert Bush: WWII
David Dolby: Vietnam
Walter Ehlers: WWII
James Fleming: Vietnam
Rodolfo Hernandez: Korea
Thomas Hudner: Korea
Robert Ingram: Vietnam
Arthur Jackson: WWII
George Lang: Vietnam
James Livingston: Vietnam
David McNerney: Vietnam
O. Lee Mize: Korea
Robert M...: Vietnam
Robert O'Malley: Vietnam
Richard Pittman: Vietnam
James Taylor: Vietnam
Michael Thornton: Vietnam
Gary Wetzel: Vietnam
Paul Wiedorfer: WWII

Tell ya true, I was checking the names to be sure they didn't slip in a posthumous Medal recipient. They would do that.

[UTUSN]

27. There's Got to Be Some Connection

Somebody is rounding them up. Who could it be, who could it be. Some GROUP. Like, how did this bunch from far and wide happen to get together?

[mediaman007]

32. Maybe the headline should be: Republican Medal of Honor Winners...

Endorse the Dim Son.

[erpowers]

35. Finding out What Party They Belong To

Is there a way to determine what party these men are connnected with.

[jmowreader]

38. I know Rudy Hernandez...he's definitely GOP

As for the rest of 'em, count on them all being Republicans.

I also know Roger Donlon, one of the first men to win the MOH in Vietnam (and the first special operator to do it); he is notoriously apolitical. Says it's not fitting for someone who wears the Medal to play politics.

[VolcanoJen]

33. LBN thread... UPI has picked the story up

Predictably... :eyes:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x692652

[donhakman]

39. D