I find it funny that
Republican flunkies are attacking Kerry for leaving Vietman early. Evidently,
if you are wounded three times (receive 3 purple hearts) then you can leave 'Nam and go back to another assignment in the States. One attack on him is that he faked
his first purple heart! Another is that he shouldn't have taken the opportunity to leave. All in all, he's a coward.
Yet, he also was awarded the Bronze Star.
Now, I am a fan of military history (and bravery in general) and a bronze star is nothing to sneeze at.
See Kerry's citation.According to the record, he was in command of a swift boat when his ship, and another next to his, were simultaneously attacked by mines and then 'small arms and automatic weapons fire from the river banks.' Kerry was wounded by shrapnel and was in bleeding and in pain. But a crewman fell overboard and was subjected to sniper fire while in the water. Despite his wounds, Kerry led the boat back to rescue the crewman and, exposing himself on the deck to enemy fire, despite his wounds, Kerry personally rescued the crewman.
Then Kerry directed his crew to rescue the other boat which was too damaged to move. Remember, they are all under machine gun fire and he is wounded. Under the barrage, his boat towed the other boat to safety.
Bronze Star material. He's brave, responsible, and cool under fire.
But he also was awarded a Silver Star. There are 4 bravery medals in the military. The highest is the Medal of Honor. Often you need to die to get one. Next is the Distinguished Service Cross (for Army and Air Force, the Navy and Marines have the Navy Cross). The DSC is awarded to someone who deserves a Medal of Honor but doesn't have political backing (and is often alive). Next is the Silver Star. Next is the Bronze Star.
So what did he get the silver star for?
He was leading three boats in a mission to insert "Viatnemese regional force troops" when the boats were brought under heavy enemy machine gun fire 50 feet away from them and the landing zone. "Unhesitatingly, Lt. JG Kerry ordered his boat to attack as all units opened fire and beached directly in front of the enemy ambushers. This daring and courageous tactic surprised the enemy and succeeded in routing a score of enemy soldiers. ... After proceeding approximately eight hundred yards [downriver], the boats were again take under fire from a heavily foliated area and a B-40 rocket exploded close aboard PCF 94. With utter disregard for his own safety and the enemy rockets, he again ordered a charge on the enemy, beached his boat only ten feet from the VC rocket position and personally led a landing party ashore in pursuit of the enemy." The citation concludes that he received the award because of: "extraordinary daring and personal courage ... in attacking a numerically superior force in the face of intense fire"
Now remember; I am not a Kerry fan. I wanted almost every other (plausible) candidate for the Democrats besides him. And there's a lot of room to criticize him. But how dare they criticize his bravery? His sacrifice for his country? That is dishonorable, hypocritical and disgusting. And perfectly in line with the ethics of the current administration.
