Swiftboat Crewman: Kerry Boat Under Fire

[RedEarth]

PORTLAND, Ore. - A swiftboat crewman decorated in the 1969 Vietnam incident where John Kerry (news - web sites) won a Bronze Star says not only did they come under enemy fire but also that his own boat commander, who has challenged the official account, was too distracted to notice the gunfire.



Retired Chief Petty Officer Robert E. Lambert, of Central Point, Ore., got a Bronze Star for pulling his boat commander — Lt. Larry Thurlow — out of the Bay Hap River on March 13, 1969. Thurlow had jumped onto another swiftboat to aid sailors wounded by a mine explosion but fell off when the out-of-control boat ran aground.


Thurlow, who has been prominent among a group of veterans challenging the Democratic presidential candidate's record, has said there was no enemy fire during the incident. Lambert, however, supports the Navy account that says all five swiftboats in the task force "came under small arms and automatic weapon fire from the river banks" when the mine detonated.


"I thought we were under fire, I believed we were under fire," Lambert said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.


"Thurlow was far too distracted with rescue efforts to even realize he was under fire. He was concentrating on trying to save lives."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=696&e=6&u=/ap/20040826/ap_on_el_pr/swiftboat_witness

[Ducks In A Row]

1. Lambert gives Thurlow a graceful out

take it Thurlow. Now. Be a real man.

[LisaL]

2. It's actually pretty funny-

Thurlow is actually the one being saved from drowning, not the other way around. Thurlow has never mentioned that, a liar that he is.

[redqueen]

3. Didn't Thurlow say in his report that he was under fire? n/t

[mzmolly]

4. That's right.

:hi:

[skip fox]

5. Great! I've added to the Swift Boat file (in DU's Editorials)

Robert Lambert:

<snip>

Three Navy men won Bronze Stars for their actions that day: Kerry,
Thurlow, and radarman first class Robert Eugene Lambert, a petty
officer in the boat captained by Thurlow. The citation for Lambert's
Bronze Star--previously undisclosed but obtained today under the
Freedom of Information Act from the National Personnel Records
Center in St. Louis--repeats the description of the incident included
in the citation for Thurlow's Bronze Star: "all units came under small
arms and automatic weapons fire from the river banks." Lambert's
citation also notes that Lambert--who assumed command of PCF-51
after Thurlow went to assist another Swift boat damaged by a mine--
"directed accurate suppressing fire at the enemy." The citation praises
Lambert's "coolness, professionalism and courage under fire."
<snip>


http://www.thenation.com/capitalgames/index.mhtml?bid=3&pid=1692


And Lambert finally spoke out on Wed. 25 Aug, explicitly mentioning
the incoming fire:

http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2004/0826/local/stories/01local.htm

and:


<snip>

"I thought we were under fire, I believed we were under fire," Lambert
said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.


"Thurlow was far too distracted with rescue efforts to even realize he was
under fire. He was concentrating on trying to save lives."

<snip>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&nci...

[RedEarth]

6. Skip, you doing some great work...you might want to look at this too..

if you haven't seen it.......more lies...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=778132&mesg_id=778132

[joefree1]

7. Good work, so much information

... might just sink that boat full of lies.


Download the free poster/sign here:
http://ediablo.com/eDiabloGallery.html

[ochazuke]

8. Is Lambert the guy who won't vote for Kerry?

I heard on Nightly Business Report that there was a swifty who backs up Kerry's version of events, but will not be voting for Kerry; is that Lambert or another guy?

Even non-Kerry-backers are calling the liars.

On edit: Yes, Lambert is that man --> http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2004/0826/local/stories/01local.htm

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Yes, that is Lambert

I salute him, even if he is going to cancel out my vote in ten weeks.

Elections should be about disagreements and honest discourse. Lies and character assassination have no place in an election campaign.

O'Neill and Thurlow have forgotten that. Lambert has not.