Statement By Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Member Larry Thurlow

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.swiftvets.com/article.php?story=20040819100856500

I am convinced that the language used in my citation for a Bronze Star was language taken directly from John Kerry's report which falsely described the action on the Bay Hap River as action that saw small arms fire and automatic weapons fire from both banks of the river.

To this day, I can say without a doubt in my mind, along with other accounts from my shipmates -- there was no hostile enemy fire directed at my boat or at any of the five boats operating on the river that day.

<snip>

And in a new development, Kerry campaign officials are now finally acknowledging that while Kerry's boat left the scene, none of the other boats on the river ever left the damaged swift boat. This is a direct contradiction to previous accounts made by Jim Rassmann in the Oregonian newspaper and a direct contradiction to the "No Man Left Behind" theme during the Democratic National Convention.

These ever changing accounts of the Bay Hap River incident by Kerry campaign officials leave me asking one question. If no one ever left the scene of the Bay Hap River incident, how could anyone be left behind?

[Democat]

1. This guy's story just keeps changing! Now Kerry wrote his report too?

Next, Kerry will have started the Vietnam war too.

They should make a movie like Forrest Gump where Kerry causes all of the problems in the world.

Maybe they can start with Jesus being crucified by Kerry and go forward from there.

What a joke.

[hadrons]

4. I guess he figures empty-head 'moran' is better than lair ....

[Zorra]

5. Yeah, and if Thurlow believes this, why did he accept the Bronze Star?

An honorable person would have refused it, and told the government why they refused it.

Either way, Thurlow is a liar.

If he did not deserve the Bronze Star and yet accepted it, he is a phony and a claimer.

[Moderator]

2. Swiftvets.com

is not a legitimate news source.
Moving

[Zorra]

3. Bullshit.

Records Counter a Critic of Kerry
Fellow Skipper's Citation Refers To Enemy Fire

By Michael Dobbs
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 19, 2004; Page A01

Newly obtained military records of one of Sen. John F. Kerry's most vocal critics, who has accused the Democratic presidential candidate of lying about his wartime record to win medals, contradict his own version of events.

In newspaper interviews and a best-selling book, Larry Thurlow, who commanded a Navy Swift boat alongside Kerry in Vietnam, has strongly disputed Kerry's claim that the Massachusetts Democrat's boat came under fire during a mission in Viet Cong-controlled territory on March 13, 1969. Kerry won a Bronze Star for his actions that day.

But Thurlow's military records, portions of which were released yesterday to The Washington Post under the Freedom of Information Act, contain several references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire" directed at "all units" of the five-boat flotilla. Thurlow won his own Bronze Star that day, and the citation praises him for providing assistance to a damaged Swift boat "despite enemy bullets flying about him."

As one of five Swift boat skippers who led the raid up the Bay Hap River, Thurlow was a direct participant in the disputed events. He is also a leading member of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a public advocacy group of Vietnam veterans dismayed by Kerry's subsequent antiwar activities, which has aired a controversial television advertisement attacking his war record.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13267-2004Aug18.html

[Old and In the Way]

6. That's the gameplan, isn't it?

Keep changing the story, all the whle deflecting questions about Bush's service.

'Tis a dangerous game for AWOL and the 5 time Dodger to play. This might play well to Dimson's base, but the more thoughtful moderates and undecideds can spot a character assassination when they see it.

[lapfog_1]

7. My reply to Mr. Thurlow

Sir,

Did you read your citation when you received your bronze star?
If you knew that the citation was false, did you not have a duty,
as an officer of the US Navy, to bring this to the attention of
your commanding officers immediately? Accepting a medal or citation
knowing that the information which led to the award is false is,
at the very least, conduct unbecoming of an officer of the US Navy.
This would be grounds for a courts martial at the very least. If
there was any promotion subsequent to your accepting the medal, fraud
may be an applicable criminal violation as well.

You had a duty AT THE TIME OF THE AWARD to bring this to the attention
of your commanding officers, in writing, and you had a duty to refuse
the medal and lodge complaints THEN about other awards given to
other officers under false pretenses.

[Jim__]

8. The Swift Boat Veterans are pretty clearly the Swift Boat Liars

We are now asked to believe that Larry Thurlow was awarded a bronze star, but in the last 30 years, he never even knew why; he was never even curious enough to ask; and it's only now that it comes out that his current story contradicts the text in his award for the bronze star the he found out why he was awarded the star. If he's really that dim, that in 30 years, he never checked on why he was awarded the bronze star, how could we possibly trust his recollections from 30 years ago?

John O'Neill has now been caught lying twice about his affiliation with the Republican Party. He was Nixon's boy back in the early 70's, he's donated thousands of dollars to Republicans ove the years; but he tells us he's not a republican; he voted for Al GOre in 2000. Of the thousands he contibuted to the republicans, he first claimed those were corporate contributions and not his. Turns out, if they were corporate contributions, they were illegal. Oh yeah, they weren't corporate contributions, but, half of them they were made by a coworker with a similar name. Unfortunately, the records show the contributions were all made by him; not half by a coworker.

Bush better go find himself a new set of liars; these guys have been exposed

[Cha]

9. What does this thur-low mean by this?..

"And in a new development, Kerry campaign officials are now finally acknowledging that while Kerry's boat left the scene, none of the other boats on the river ever left the damaged swift boat. This is a direct contradiction to previous accounts made by Jim Rassmann in the Oregonian newspaper and a direct contradiction to the "No Man Left Behind" theme during the Democratic National Convention."

Is this true?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

11. Is the liar's version of what the Kerry campaing says, true?

You're not serious, are you?

[Ducks In A Row]

10. excuse me, but why are we supposed to believe the swiftvets

about anything that Kerry's campaign is saying?

Is there a lie these scum wouldn't try telling?

Of yeah, I believe that Kerry would ask Jim to make an ad, and then the next day call Jim a liar. NOT!