<font size=4>Kerry Admitted Writing Own Combat Reports
In testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1971, John Kerry admitted writing his own combat reports, and implied that he himself had exaggerated those reports.
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry’s 1971 testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reveals that the then anti-war activist admitted to writing many of the battle reports during his four months of combat in Vietnam.
Kerry told the committee on April 22, 1971, <font color=blue>“...I can recall often sending in the spot reports which we made after each mission...”<font color=black>
Kerry also said that many in the military had <font color=blue>“a tendency to report what they want to report and see what they want to see.”<font color=black>
Kerry’s comments about the battle reports came in response to a question from then Senator Stuart Symington (D- Mo.), who wondered about the accuracy of information from military sources.
According to the testimony , which is available in the Congressional Record, Sen. Symington asked Kerry, <font color=purple>“Mr. Kerry, from your experience in Vietnam do you think it is possible for the President or Congress to get accurate and undistorted information through official military channels.[?]”<font color=black>
Kerry responded, <font color=blue>“I had direct experience with that. Senator, I had direct experience with that and I can recall often sending in the spot reports which we made after each mission; and including the GDA, gunfire damage assessments, in which we would say, maybe 15 sampans sunk or whatever it was. And I often read about my own missions in the Stars and Stripes and the very mission we had been on had been doubled in figures and tripled in figures.<font color=black>
Kerry later added, <font color=blue>”I also think men in the military, sir, as do men in many other things, have a tendency to report what they want to report and see what they want to see." |
