John Kerry has posted his military records from Vietnam online because questions has been raised about his Vietnam war wounds.
John Kerry was awarded three Purple Hearts, one Silver Star and one Bronze star.
His former commanding officer has recently said that the first medal was awarded for a minor injury.
John Kerry rejected the comments as unfair and said: "Those of us who were there know what happened."

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/....ap/index.html

Find John Kerrys military records here:
John Kerry's Official Naval Records
John Kerry's After-Action Combat Reports

Quick links to some of the interesting records:
John Kerrys Silver Star
John Kerrys Bronze Star
John Kerrys first Purple Heart
John Kerrys second Purple Heart
John Kerrys third Purple Heart


I haven't read everything myself yet, so I wont make any comments here now.

What do you think about John Kerrys military/war records?

I saw this on the news. I am in no place to judge his performance even after reading the information on the website.

i saw him on the news to and he thinks that he taking a little bit off to the edge

Hmm. Pulled a guy out of the river while under fire, and while wounded. That's not so bad. Does Bush have copies of his records available?

If they're gonna attack Kerry at least attack him for something worth attacking him for. Questioning his military decorations is not something valid.

How come theres such a giant hulaballo about candidates military history? Funny that you never seemed to mention Clinton's military records. Funny that it doesn't matter he was a DRAFT DODGER. But now that Kerry is a combat veteran and Bush was in the Guard, its all over a sudden important.

If Kerry was(is) such an anti-war anti-military activist, and threw away his medals, and testified against other Viet-Nam veterans, how come now he's so adamant about emphasising his military career and displaying his decorations?

Lastly, regardless of all that, attacking Kerry on the validity of one of his Purple Hearts because of the severity of his wounds is a cheap blow.

Frankly, they're both being...boobs (if I may use 50s slang).

My 2 cents.

They are both but since you got to pick pick the one who has the most honor.

It's important because a person who holds the life of every american servicemember in his hands should understand what he holds. And the only way that can happen is if he has been there himself. Not saying he needs to be a combat veteran, but it's a thin line, and if you haven't stood in it, you shouldn't be in charge of it. Which is my biggest resentment of Clinton, the way he treated the military as just one more political tool, instead of an honorable group of people who's sacrifices must be respected.

Originally Posted by FutureRANGER

If Kerry was(is) such an anti-war anti-military activist, and threw away his medals, and testified against other Viet-Nam veterans, how come now he's so adamant about emphasising his military career and displaying his decorations?

Because he is trying to work everything from every possible angle, one of those chameleons who changes his positions based on his audience.


And Jtf2, I sincerely hope that the one with the most honor IS chosen, and I can guarantee you that that one is not some blue falcon.

Discrepancies noted in Kerry's record
Ex-skipper says website wrong

By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff April 23, 2004

WASHINGTON -- Vietnam combat records posted on John F. Kerry's campaign website for the month of January 1969 as evidence of his service aboard swift boat No. 94 describe action that occurred before Kerry was skipper of that craft, according to the officer who said he commanded the boat at the time.
On the site, the Massachusetts senator is described as the skipper of Navy boat No. 94 during several actions in late January 1969.

However, Edward Peck, who was the skipper of the 94 before Kerry took over, said combat reports posted by the campaign for January 1969 involve action when he was the skipper, not Kerry. Peck, who was seriously wounded in fighting that took place on Jan. 29, 1969, said he believes Kerry campaign aides made a mistake in claiming Kerry as skipper of the 94 at that time.
Military records Combat reports Command history (From johnkerry.com)

On the Kerry website, the report of the combat on that day on the 94 boat is posted as occurring during Kerry's time as skipper of the boat. Peck said Kerry replaced him after the Jan. 29, 1969, event.

"Those are definitely mine," Peck said, referring to the combat reports that the Kerry campaign posted as representing Kerry's action. "There is no doubt about it."

A Kerry campaign spokesman, Michael Meehan, said in an e-mail that the campaign had obtained the combat reports for the 94 from the Navy. He did not directly address the question of why the campaign describes Kerry being skipper of the 94 at a time when Peck says he commanded the boat.

The reports at issue are in a 20-page batch representing Kerry's combat in January 1969. The reports include references to some dramatic action, including an ambush of Patrol Craft Fast, or PCF, 94. In addition to posting the information online, the campaign sent out an e-mail yesterday afternoon repeating the claim that Kerry was the skipper of the 94 boat throughout January and describing action the campaign said Kerry experienced while commanding the craft.

For example, in a summary of action that occurred Jan. 26, 1969, the campaign says Kerry served on boat No. 94 alongside another boat, No. 66. "PCFs 94 and 66 escorted troops up the Ong Doc River early in the morning when they were ambushed by gun and rocket fire from approximately 40 men on both sides of the river," the campaign summary says. "Two B-40 rounds hit close to Kerry's boat, while PCF 66 received 2 B-40 rocket hits. Three men on PCF66 were wounded. A junk containing South Vietnamese troops was also sunk, killing 11 South Vietnamese troops. Intelligence reports after the mission indicated that the Viet Cong troops may have planned the ambush in advance."

Peck said he was the skipper of the 94 at this time and that Kerry was not on the craft. While combat reports show several boats traveling with the 94, the campaign website says only that Kerry was the skipper of the 94 and does not try to place him on the other boats.

In another report, the campaign summarizes action that took place on Jan. 29, 1969, this way: "While Kerry's boat and another [PCF72] were probing a canal along the river, Kerry's boat came under heavy fire and was hit by a B-40 rocket in the cabin area. One member of Kerry's crew -- Forward Gunner David Alston -- suffered shrapnel wounds in his head. His injuries were not considered serious and he was sent to the 29th Evac Hospital at Binh Thuy."

Peck said he was the skipper on this day as well. Peck was also injured in the ambush and was hospitalized.

As a result, Kerry then took over the crew, Peck said. The Navy combat report posted by the Kerry campaign states that Peck and Alston were injured in the same event. There is no mention of Kerry in that report.

Kerry's commanding officer, George Elliott, said in a telephone interview that he vividly recalls Peck's injury and hospitalization and Kerry's replacement of Peck. "I think somebody made a mistake who doesn't know" the timing of Kerry's service, Elliott said. Kerry was skipper of boat No. 44 in December and January before taking over command of the 94, he said.

I thought this was hilarious. Kerry's website has since been changed and corrected, as it was most likely a clerical error from a desk jockey .. but the implications certainly didn't look good. Goes to show even the most lowly typist can screw up a man's already shaky credibility.

THREE purple hearts just over 100 days in country?
He wasn't very good at that either, was he!