Officer who was there speaks up to defend Kerry's Silver Star

[HFishbine]

Anti-Kerry vets not there that day

By William B. Rood
Chicago Tribune
Published August 21, 2004

There were three swift boats on the river that day in Vietnam more than 35 years ago—three officers and 15 crew members. Only two of those officers remain to talk about what happened on February 28, 1969.

One is John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate who won a Silver Star for what happened on that date. I am the other.

For years, no one asked about those events. But now they are the focus of skirmishing in a presidential election with a group of swift boat veterans and others contending that Kerry didn't deserve the Silver Star for what he did on that day, or the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts he was awarded for other actions.

Many of us wanted to put it all behind us—the rivers, the ambushes, the killing. Ever since that time, I have refused all requests for interviews about Kerry's service—even those from reporters at the Chicago Tribune, where I work.

more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/elections/chi-040821rood,1,1611037.story?coll=chi-news-hed

member name: drgwandsp
password: calzephyr

[opihimoimoi]

1. The guys who were there, thats the guys who count...not in Nam But

on the friggen Boat, or rode side by side in another swift boat going into action as a group.

This is the real story.

The Bushies killed off McCain, Gore, Cleland, and now they wanna do the same to Kerry. Bad Move.

Plus, Walt Starr found out Bush did not get any ribbons but has a photo of him wearing them(2). A NO NO. Military people never wear unearned ribbons....a crime punishable by sempuku(harikari) as did recently by a General....

[Erika]

2. And Bush Never Served a Day in Nam.

He can't even prove he finished his service in the AG. But he's letting his dogs attack Kerry?

[opihimoimoi]

3. UnAmerican Shameful behavior by our so called PresiDEEENT

[Sugarbleus]

4. This article is absolutely riveting... I read

every detail (thanks for the password BTW), I checked every medal, fact, citation. I saved the page. I've got chills.

I'm also more angry than I was with the smear ads. I'm writing that jerk of an admiral. SHAMESHAMESHAMESHAME........ :nuke:


Dudes like that are what got so many of our men killed out there: TURNCOATS that didn't have the interest of their men in mind at all. Many of them didn't know their ass from a hole in the ground.

Soldiers had to figure out what to do on their own......fucking Brass!

[MiddleGuy]

5. I wish they didn't say Kerry contacted him

The only bad thing that stuck out IMHO is that line that said Kerry had personally contacted Mr. Rood for help. I wish they would have left that out because you know the repugs will jump all over the fact him and Rood are friends, at least that is the impression I got from another article about them being friends.

Anyone think that hurt him?