Solved? The Mystery of Kerry's Crew
<font size=4>
Given the high level of antipathy towards Kerry from the officers and men who fought with hiim, the loyalty of all but one surviving Kerry crew member has been a mystery.
These are the guys who are with Kerry at campaign stops, and who spoke up for him at the convention. They include all but one of his surviving former crewman. The one remaining crew member, Steven Gardmer is a member of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the 250 strong group of Kerry's fellow warriors now disputing Kerry's accuracy and honesty.
<font color=red>
So if so many hold Kerry in contempt, why do his crew members support him? A strong motivation can be found in an old Boston Globe article...<font color=black>
From Michael Kranish's account in the Boston Globe:
<font color=blue>
Kerry's early departure meant that he was leaving behind a crew that had suffered through many bloody battles with him. Worried that crew members would be killed, he arranged for them to receive a safer assignment. When one crew member, Medeiros, tried to stay, Kerry "came and talked to me and said, `I really would like you to go. ... I'd like to know you are safe, or safer."'
<font color=black>
So Kerry got these guys out of dangerous combat early. Now that's a heck of a favor (and clever planning for a future political career)! Is that the motive of the Kerry followers? Compare their views with that of over 250 other Swifties who are against Kerry. Compare it to every single officer who commanded Kerry, all of whom signed a letter proclaiming him unfit for command.
Then we have one more supporter: Mr. Rassman, who at the time was a Special Forces officer that Kerry rescued.
According to the citation, the rescue was under fire, and Mr. Rassman agrees. But other Swifties who were there say there was no enemy fire - only outbound covering fire. It seems plausible that Mr. Rassman, from his perspective in the water, mistook the noise and confusion to including incoming fire. Swifties as high as 14 feet above the water, whose job it was to return fire, reported none. This sounds like an honest mistake caused by a different circumstances?
<font size=3>
tinyvital.com |
