Pentagon Says Bush Records of Service Were Destroyed ---NYTimes

[kentuck]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/09/politics/campaign/09records.html?ex=1247025600&en=c62ede59872f7f12&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

<snip>
HOUSTON, July 8 - Military records that could help establish President Bush's whereabouts during his disputed service in the Texas Air National Guard more than 30 years ago have been inadvertently destroyed, according to the Pentagon.

It said the payroll records of "numerous service members," including former First Lt. Bush, had been ruined in 1996 and 1997 by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service during a project to salvage deteriorating microfilm. No back-up paper copies could be found, it added in notices dated June 25.

The destroyed records cover three months of a period in 1972 and 1973 when Mr. Bush's claims of service in Alabama are in question.

The disclosure appeared to catch some experts, both pro-Bush and con, by surprise. Even the retired lieutenant colonel who studied Mr. Bush's records for the White House, Albert C. Lloyd of Austin, said it came as news to him.

...more

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. Do you remember the scene in "The Big Easy"....

where the videotape of McSwain accepting a bribe "accidentally" gets tampered with?

Why is that scene so vivid in my mind right now.

[spanone]

2. As Gomer would say 'Shizzzam'.

[dennis4868]

3. inadvertently destroyed?

hahaha...oh really? Inadvertently?

[Mr_Spock]

4. I thought that story was recanted by the Pentagon?

n/m

[Pirate Smile]

5. That is from July.

[kentuck]

6. Yes, this story is from this July....a couple of months ago...

How do they restore damaged microfilm??
==========================================================
<snip>
Sixty pages of Mr. Bush's medical file and some other records were excluded on privacy grounds, Mr. Talbott wrote.

He said in the letter that he could not provide complete payroll records, explaining, "The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) has advised of the inadvertent destruction of microfilm containing certain National Guard payroll records."

He went on: "In 1996 and 1997, DFAS engaged with limited success in a project to salvage deteriorating microfilm. During this process the microfilm payroll records of numerous service members were damaged, including from the first quarter of 1969 (Jan. 1 to March 31) and the third quarter of 1972 (July 1 to Sept. 30). President Bush's payroll records for these two quarters were among the records destroyed. Searches for backup paper copies of the missing records were unsuccessful."

[bigtree]

7. Sixty pages of Bush's medical file and some other records were excluded

on privacy grounds.

Bush should be forced to approve their release. These would shed light on the reasons for his missed physical and the reasons for his grounding. Payroll records released recently clearly establish that he was missing during the period in question.

[Nancy Waterman]

8. Interesting how Kitty Kelly brings this up

that documents seem to always get lost or inadvertently destroyed that might harm Bush.

[kentuck]

9. Remember this discussion from Democratic Underground ??

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x690258

And this was only a month ago!

<snip>
FighttheFuture (211 posts) Fri Jul-16-04 02:39 PM
Response to Original message

45. With the microfilm destroyed, forgery is much easier... Moore already...


caught them in F-911 expuging Bath's name (a Bush buddy) who wa salso suspended with him from duty.

I predict a 40% chance of a setup to clear his name with the "official", unalterable (microfiche cannot be altered, only recreated) records destroyed!

[OneBlueSky]

10. how con-veeeeeen-ient . . .

wonder who did the dirty work? . . . could it be? . . . might it be? . . .

S-A-T-A-N!!!!???? . . .

yeah . . . that's the ticket . . .

[Heath.Hunnicutt]

11. Actually, the Alabama records have been released

I think Joseph Nobles first pointed this out: the 3rd quarter pay report for 1973 summarizes the previous 12 months, so it covers the time in question.

This includes Jan 6, 1973, a day on which George Jr. was:

(a) Credited for National Guard Duty via his Texas payroll office
(b) Seen by a dentist while at Dannelly Air National Guard base in Alabama

The commander of the unit he temporarily reported to, the 187th Tactical Recon Group, has previously stated that he expected this. Bush was supposed to be paid for Alabama service out of his Texas payroll office.

And, since we have the pay reports for the pay that Texas office issued, and we know they cover Jan 1 1972 - Oct 1, 1973 we know which dates he served in Alabama:

Oct. 28-29
Nov. 11-14
Jan. 4-6, 8-10

See my website: http://ofb.net./~bushsr for a calendar.

[kentuck]

12. If there are pay records, there should be other records???

Don't you agree? Other than the one time he had to go to the dentist. Maybe he just decided to take advantage of the military's socialistic medicine?

[Heath.Hunnicutt]

13. As I wrote there are records for every day for 1972 and 1973.

The one thing I certainly agree on is this: there should be other records. There are so many records missing here that we can at least be sure those are MIA. :)

For example, there should be some correspondence between the Alabama and Texas units, in order for him to have been paid.

[kentuck]

14. As the NYTime reported..

The WH kept sixty files to themselves, private and "others"...

[Heath.Hunnicutt]

15. Really?

Where is that from, didn't see it in the article, but want to. :)

[kentuck]

17. See post #6 ---from the article.

there's alot of documents hat they refuse to turn over.

[knight_of_the_star]

16. What a coincidence

So there is no way to prove if Bush was even in the guard at all in terms of documented evidence? Ain't that a coinkydink?

[in_cog_ni_to]

18. Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies

lies, lies, lies. Excuses, Excuses, excuses, excuses, excuses, excuses. NOW, they look FOOLISH! How many records can go missing? How many people can mess up so badly? How can so many people lie about the chimp? How can all these convenient things keep happening for the idiot-in-chief?? THIS DOES NOT HELP THEIR IMAGE! It's all too obvious!