Can someone help ...Kerry medal question

[canuckybee]

On the second page of the Dick Cavett interview where O'Neil says:

"... I'd like to continue with my statement, if I may. No, we never – I never – I never burned a village, that's absolutely correct. On those particular raids, as you know, from the time you came into the Ku Alon River to the time you left the Bodie, you're receiving almost continuous fire the entire time ..."

Could this is the area where Kerry received his Bronze Star for saving Rassman and other things he did in that one particular battle?


Does anyone know where I could find out this information. I can't find the rivers or the province listed in both Kerry's and Thurlow's citations, or the rivers mentioned by O'Neil on any maps of Vietnam.

Could O'Neil be blowing Thurlow's story out of the water with the "from the time you came into the Ku Alon River to the time you left the Bodie, you're receiving almost continuous fire the entire time." line!

[A_Possum]

1. Bay Hap River; Dong Cung Canal

Was the location of the Bronze Star incident.

http://www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/combat_reports.html

You can get the full story in Tour of Duty, Brinkley's book, starting page 306. Extremely enlighting.

[KC21304]

2. Kerry's Bronze Star citation says action took place

in Bay Hap River. In Brinkley's book Kerry says they had just left the village of Cai Nuoc. There are two small maps in Brinkley's book, one showing rivers and one showing cities and villages.

I can find the village of Cai Nuoc way down near southern tip. I also find the river Cua Lon near there and it flows into the Bo De river. I would imagine these are the rivers referenced by O'Neill on Cavett's show. I do not see the Bay Hap River on the river map but only major rivers are shown. Looks like there are a million small rivers there.

Sorry, but I don't think this is any help.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Cua Lon="Ku Alon" River ; Bo De="Bodie"

No doubt someone trying to spell Vietnamese names in phonetic English in a transcript.

[alcuno]

3. O'Neil wouldn't know. He wasn't even in Vietnam with Kerry.

They never met in Vietnam because O'Neil came in after Kerry.

[UTUSN]

4. As a Vet, I NEVER Wonder About MY or ANYBODY Else's "MEDALS'

Why do you? Why does anybody else?

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Well, the Swifties seem to care a lot.

This thread just seems to be a well-meant attempt to help verify the Kerry version.

[canuckybee]

7. Thank you Jackpine Radical

Of course it was well meant. Man, I can't believe someone decided to take that the wrong way.

[canuckybee]

8. The spelling was from the transcript

But I appreciate the correction.