War hero at home in line of fire

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8558407%255E2703,00.html

WHEN US Navy "swift" boat PCF-94 came under rocket attack from Vietcong fighters hidden in mangroves by the Dong Cung River on the last day of February 1969, the young lieutenant in charge opted to confront the enemy head-on.

Turning directly at the fire to minimise the target, Lieutenant John Kerry rammed his 16m boat at speed onto the riverbank, leapt ashore with his M-16, and set off at a sprint in pursuit of the attacker with the rocket-propelled grenade.

Some of Kerry's crew were shocked. It was against the rules to jump in and become a jungle fighter. "But thank God he did," Del Sandusky told historian Douglas Brinkley for his new book about Kerry at war, Tour of Duty.

Kerry's radio operator, Michael "Duke" Medeiros, was right behind him. "As the VC guerilla got 20 or 30 metres down the path, just about in front of a lean-to, the (future) senator shot the guy," Medeiros recalled. "He had been standing on both feet with a loaded rocket launcher, about to fire. He fell over dead."

For that, Kerry was awarded the Silver Star, the navy's third-highest award for bravery.

more

[EXE619K]

1. I wish....

Senator Kerry had this kind of "courage" during the IWR and many other issues that "passed him by".

But, that's just my opinion.

[bigtree]

2. He did stand up to them

Here's his speech:

TEXT FROM THE SPEECH JOHN KERRY MADE ON THE SENATE FLOOR
October 9, 2002
http://www.independentsforkerry.org/uploads/media/kerry-iraq.html

[EXE619K]

4. Considering the fact that....

Sen. Kerry is considered a "party elder"...this is hardly standing up.

Like I said...my opinion though.

[goobergunch]

5. See my post here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=248417&mesg_id=248509&page=

[NV1962]

11. Less speeching, more voting next time! - n/t

[JVS]

15. Yeah, by voting yes.

What heroism!

[creativelcro]

3. When people are young a stupid, they do these and many other things

Just look at Jackass...

[zulchzulu]

14. Some say they have back problems but then can ski really well

Perhaps that's how some people learn how to con others with their lies.

[creativelcro]

17. Dunno, perhaps the smart ones do what's right for the country

the dumb ones go jackass and blow up stuff abroad and get medals for doing so...

[RetroLounge]

6. Good for Kerry

and this qualifies him for President???

[molly]

18. What qualifies Dean?

[kentuck]

7. No doubt about it....

Kerry was a war hero. But does that automatically make him the best person to lead this country? General Clark was also a war hero and the same question could be asked about him. I think they are both able to lead but I think Clark is the best man for these times.

[saoirse]

8. Excellent story

Those war stories are exactly the kind of thing that would slay Dubya. The GOP spin machine can drag out all the garbage they want, but people don't want to hear that - they'd much rather listen to stories of Kerry's Vietnam exploits.

I'm a Clark guy, but would have no problem with Kerry being the nominee. It'd almost be a rematch of 1988, when Poppy Bush took on another Massachusetts Democrat named Dukakis. Winning this time around would be truly sweet.

[NNN0LHI]

9. Really odd that it took 8 posts to even see a mention of AWOL Bush...

...and how he would match up against a true war hero like Kerry or Clark. Thanks for your post.

Don

[saoirse]

12. Bush's AWOL problem is apparently "taboo"

At least to the mainstream media.

Remember the reaction when Michael Moore called Smirk a deserter? You could almost hear a collective gasp of disbelief and indignation rising from the press corps.

Some might say the difference in the war records of Bush and Kerry isn't really relevant to the campaign. I could not disagree more. On one hand you have a privileged youngster who was somehow moved to the front of the line to get into the Texas Air Guard. That means someone else got shafted, and may even have ended up coming home in a body bag. In short, it reeks of entitlement and the "me first, screw everbody else" mentality that so typifies the GOP.

Kerry, on the other hand, not only went to Vietnam, he risked his life to save others. He deliberately put himself in situations where getting killed was not only possible, but highly likely. It shows a commitment to a greater good that is so genuine that it overcomes even the most primal human urge of self-preservation.

Bush is the poster boy for avoiding responsibility and profiting from the sacrifice of others. Kerry is the exact opposite. That was obvious even when both were young men, and their respective careers since then have shown that nothing has changed.

[NNN0LHI]

13. It used to be a lot bigger of an issue here at DU too

I don't know what happened but hardly no one wants to talk about the Chickenhawks running the Bush regime anymore?

Don

[IndianaGreen]

19. Kerry is as dysfunctional as Bush

His many obfuscations, vacillations and waffling about Iraq and his IWR vote are clear evidence that he is unable to take responsibility for his own actions.

[Dr Fate]

10. Kerry Bashers used to say that Skull & Bones "faked" his war heroics...

...until the actual guy he saved ( now a minister, no less) came forward, that is. Some DEM bashers on this board will say anything to smear a good DEM...

[IndianaGreen]

16. There are some disputes regarding this account

According to some reports (which can be found in conservative and anti-Kerry websites), and that are disputed by Kerry's supporters, the VC was wounded when Kerry went over to collect a souvenir in this case the rocket launcher. Kerry shot the wounded VC.

What is not in dispute is that the VC, a teenager, was first wounded by the .50 caliber.

The real point is the John Kerry that is running for President is not the Kerry of the Vietnam War stories.

Vietnam War is over!

Vietnam won the war!

The Vietnamese people are better off with us gone!

Vietnamese are now living in peace despite our best efforts to murder them 40 years ago!

On edit:

The Vietnamese were fighting against a foreign oppressor. Anyone with a knowledge of Vietnamese history knows that America had replaced the French as a colonial power. No one should have gone to Vietnam anymore than they should have gone to Iraq. America was not made "safer" by the American and Vietnamese blood that was needlessly shed over there.

If nothing else, this is why Kerry is unfit for the Presidency. He has turned his back on who he was when he opposed the Vietnam War, and he has become an accomplice in a new war.