How Many Viet Nam Veterans can call themselves Swift Boat Vets?

[RobertSeattle]

I did a Google search and could find a number - has anyone heard? It would be great to be able to say "Out of X thousand Swift Boat Veterans in VietNam, only 250 are part of the SwiftVet for "Truth""

[DoBotherMe]

1. Around 3500 <eom>

[RobertSeattle]

2. Thanks

Once I have the 3500 value I found:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-08-08-kerry-vets_x.htm

Like Hoffmann, none of the 13 men in the TV ad served on either of the two swift boats — small, lightly armed patrol craft — that Kerry commanded. Of the group's 254 members — out of 3,500 swift boat sailors who served in Vietnam — only one served under Kerry. The rest who did serve on Kerry's boats back his record.

Yet another awesome feature of DU: I ask a question and two minutes later it is answered!

[DoBotherMe]

4. Not all the members of Smear Vets

are swift boat sailors. But I haven't found the entire membership list to confirm. However, of those who signed the letter (somewhere on the site--but I won't go there) some are not swifties either. D ; )

[DieboldMustDie]

7. So some of the Swift Boat Veterans for "Truth"...

are lying about being Swift Boat Veterans? :crazy:

[Democat]

3. Some of the "Swift Boat Vets" in the ads probably weren't even in boats

Wasn't one of them already exposed as an Air Force pilot, having nothing to do with Swift Boats?

Would any be surprised if we found out later that some of these Bush campaign empoyees were never even in Vietnam?

[olddem43]

5. Many people who were on Swift Boats -

at one time or other in Viet Nam were assigned to other branches of the service.
Swift boats ferried army personnel at times for certain missions (as Rassmann) and probably members of the Marine Corps. My brother was in the Coast Guard in 'Nam and went on a few missions. I would maintain that anyone who was ever on a swift boat in an actual mission should be regarded as a Swift Boat Veteran, regardless if he were assigned to Swift Boats on a regular basis. For that reason, it would be very difficult to come up with a close figure.

[Mizmoon]

6. I never even heard of a freaking swift boat

until recently. I thought I knew in depth stuff about Vietnam because I knew what Tunnel Rats were.