More on J. F. Kerry

There is more info on Kerry's service in Vietnam. A big hat tip to L.G.F. for this link to a New York Sun article by Thomas Lipscomb. Mr. Lipscomb recently published a book: "On Watch" by Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. so he has passing familiarity with the times plus access to source material. Mr. Lipscom comments on a quote from former assistant secretary of defense and Fletcher School of Diplomacy professor, W. Scott Thompson: bq. "The fabled and distinguished chief of naval operations,Admiral Elmo Zumwalt,told me — 30 years ago when he was still CNO —that during his own command of U.S. naval forces in Vietnam,just prior to his anointment as CNO, young Kerry had created great problems for him and the other top brass,by killing so many non-combatant civilians and going after other non-military targets.‘We had virtually to straitjacket him to keep him under control,’ the admiral said. ‘Bud’ Zumwalt got it right when he assessed Kerry as having large ambitions — but promised that his career in Vietnam would haunt him if he were ever on the national stage.” And this statement was made despite the fact Zumwalt had personally pinned a Silver Star on Mr. Kerry. The article then goes on to observe: bq. Mr. Kerry was assigned to Swiftboat 44 on December 1, 1968. Within 24 hours, he had his first Purple Heart. Mr. Kerry accumulated three Purple Hearts in four months with not even a day of duty lost from wounds, according to his training officer. It’s a pity one cannot read his Purple Heart medical treatment reports which have been withheld from the public. The only person preventing their release is Mr. Kerry. President Bush has been forthright in coming forward with records of his service. Shouldn't Mr. Kerry be doing the same thing?