I need a reliable source for John Kerry's war wounds...

[NoMoreRedInk]

I have a school teammate who gets his marching orders from RW Radio (specifically Neal Boortz) and today's topic is John Kerry's Vietnam injuries.

He says Kerry suffered 3 flesh wounds, 2 of which required only a simple bandage as treatment, and used some sort of "3 Purple Hearts" clause to go home after 4 months.

Does anybody know of any reliable links that I can send him that might shut him up until next weeks talking points are released?

Edited to say Thanks! in advance.

[dennis4868]

1. I can tell you this much....

his injuries were alot worse than a pimple in his ass (Rush Limbuagh)

[Darwin2002]

2. snopes.com has the story rebutting this right wing garbage n/t

n

[Duder]

3. I read somewhere that...

Kerry sealed his medical records.

[Narraback]

4. Boston Globe series on JFK

http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

5. Here's a statistic I'd like to know: "How many commies did Kerry kill?"

Actually I think any Republican that says they would vote for Bush over Kerry could be swayed quite easily, just say: "Kerry killed 25 Communists in Vietnam. How many Communists has Bush killed? Zero." If the counter that Bush killed a lot of Afghani or Iraqi terrorists, simply claim credit for all the wars that Kerry voted for (all except Iraq One, I think). I mean, Bush is a chicken shit who "orders" people to be killed by the electric chair, and doesn't even have the guts to push the button even. Kerry actually used an assault rifle and killed oppfor - commies.

That will get the NASCAR dads right?

[bowens43]

6. He's basically right.

One wound (think it was shrapnel in the arm)caused him to be out of combat for a couple of days , the others were very minor and required only bandages. The rule was, three wounds and you go home. Nothing wrong or dishonorable about it.

[King of New Orleans]

7. Here's a link to the snopes article

http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/service.asp


Or if you want it in print, go buy "Tour of Duty", by Douglas Brinkley.

[BeatleBoot]

8. snopes.com de-bunks this crap - Neil Boortz needs to do his homework!

[bearfartinthewoods]

13. debunked? seems to confirm the nature of the wounds

not serious at all.

[NoMoreRedInk]

15. That's what I thought too. Snopes basically confirms his story....

It doesn't matter that much anyways, he'll be spewing something else tomorrow.

[BeatleBoot]

18. here's the link - this is really easy folks-dont try to re-write history

http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/service.asp

[FXDS]

9. Two Tours!

Just tell him his second tour isn't really important. Sen. Kerry had already served a year on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War prior to getting 3 purple hearts while on the swift boat.

I think Kerry's first tour of duty should show plenty of patriotism with out even considering his second tour!

[bearfartinthewoods]

12. it wasn't an aircraft carrier and it was more like 6 mo iirc n/t

i haven't been able to find any reference to him stepping foot on an aircraft carrier while in the service.

[papau]

16. If I Recall Correctly (iirc), two tours of duty under fire- brave & lucky

If I Recall Correctly (iirc)- After graduating from Yale in 66, , Kerry attended Navy Officer Candidate School and was assigned to "safe" duty aboard a destroyer, where after a time he decided he wanted to do “more” for his country and applied for assignment aboard "swift boats," the 50-foot aluminum gunboats used by the Navy to patrol the labyrinth of jungle-cloaked channels and canals in the Mekong Delta. Joe Klein's 2002 New Yorker profile stated that the small boats were easy targets for ambush from enemy soldiers on the banks of the river, and often took fire as they sped through hostile territory. So Ensign Kerry after five months of service in the Pacific on the guided-missile frigate USS Gridley, with a brief stop in Vietnam, returned to the United States and underwent training to command a Swift boat. By June of 1968 Kerry was promoted to the rank of lieutenant (junior grade), and by the end of that year he was back in Vietnam, where he commanded, over time, two Swift boats. Tiring of the attacks on the swift boat without an aggressive response, Kerry proposed to his men that they launch a counterattack against ambushers by quickly turning the boats directly toward the point of gunfire and rushing the enemy position. On Feb. 28, 1969, Kerry and his crew successfully executed his counterattack plan, capturing and killing enemy soldiers. Kerry himself chased down and killed a soldier carrying a rocket launcher. "When the firing began I gave the order to turn and -- phoom! -- we just went in and beached and took them by complete surprise, and we routed them and we didn't take a wound." He received the Purple Heart three times for wounds suffered in action, and was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V (for valor) and the Navy's Silver Star for gallantry in action. Kerry was discharged from the Navy in January of 1970.

[bearfartinthewoods]

23. and then he re=enacted it to make a home movie of the kill

i don't care what you say...that is spooky.

[maddezmom]

10. ask your teammate how much blood GWB lost

out of his nose. :(

[Rebellious Republican]

11. He did not just get a Purple Heart, he was in the shit!

This not only gives you all the medals he recieved, it tells you how he got them and then gives you a comparison to Shrub, most excellent source for your needs I think!

http://www.thetalentshow.org/archives/000785.html

[Sensitivity]

14. Kerry Letter to Bush about dump of Rove attacks like this spewing on net

I hear it is been distributed by annonymous email. I am sure it is going to be endless given what we have gone through for the past year.

[papau]

17. I suggest the following response to any smear email

If I Recall Correctly (iirc), two tours of duty under fire- brave & lucky - - After graduating from Yale in 66, Kerry attended Navy Officer Candidate School and was assigned to "safe" duty aboard a destroyer, where after a time he decided he wanted to do “more” for his country and applied for assignment aboard "swift boats," the 50-foot aluminum gunboats used by the Navy to patrol the labyrinth of jungle-cloaked channels and canals in the Mekong Delta. Joe Klein's 2002 New Yorker profile stated that the small boats were easy targets for ambush from enemy soldiers on the banks of the river, and often took fire as they sped through hostile territory. So Ensign Kerry after five months of service in the Pacific on the guided-missile frigate USS Gridley, with a brief stop in Vietnam, returned to the United States and underwent training to command a Swift boat. By June of 1968 Kerry was promoted to the rank of lieutenant (junior grade), and by the end of that year he was back in Vietnam, where he commanded, over time, two Swift boats. Tiring of the attacks on the swift boat without an aggressive response, Kerry proposed to his men that they launch a counterattack against ambushers by quickly turning the boats directly toward the point of gunfire and rushing the enemy position. On Feb. 28, 1969, Kerry and his crew successfully executed his counterattack plan, capturing and killing enemy soldiers. Kerry himself chased down and killed a soldier carrying a rocket launcher. "When the firing began I gave the order to turn and -- phoom! -- we just went in and beached and took them by complete surprise, and we routed them and we didn't take a wound." He received the Purple Heart three times for wounds suffered in action, and was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V (for valor) and the Navy's Silver Star for gallantry in action. Kerry was discharged from the Navy in January of 1970, early - as allowed for 3 purple heart heros - from his 2nd (SECOND!) tour of duty.

[MsDemeander]

19. I don't think we can question Kerry's wounds

Even if he got a paper cut while shuffling paper work during combat he could put in for an early discharge for wounds received during combat.

I'm sure his wounds were legit and we can take his word for it.

[mitchum]

21. I'm sorry, I failed to catch who you were supporting

Or are you just here to fling shit?

[MsDemeander]

22. Excuse me?

I'm defending his right to leave early from war wounds? What is your line of questioning? Do you think he should have stayed in and was wrong to get out early? I don't.

[Maddy McCall]

20. I love it when chickenhawks question the valor of any Dem vet.

He should spend as much time researching Kerry's military record as he does dressing and undressing his Bush flight-suit action figure.

[MaineDem]

24. Don't forget the Silver Star and Bronze Star with Combat V

Also awarded to John Kerry.

Here's a link: http://www.johnkerry.com/communities/veterans/service.html