John Kerry & PCF-44

This book is a tribute to 3,500 Swift boat sailors that served us so well during the Vietnam War, to 50 brave young Swift boaters that died in that service, and to the Swift boat veterans who actively opposed John Kerry in his quest for the presidency. Mr. Kerry's 2004 campaign for President of the United States (POTUS) was based on the idea that he was uniquely qualified because of his Vietnam exploits as a Swift boat sailor. This book aims to show that Mr. Kerry is not qualified to be POTUS based on his conduct while Officer in Charge of Patrol Craft Fast #44 (PCF-44). The narrative is comprehensive, detailed, and objective. I relied on official records where possible and have clearly identified opinions and assumptions. We owe the Swift boaters an apology for besmirching their name. We owe our respect and our gratitude to the brave young men and women who we ask to go in harm's way, even if we subsequently decide we made a mistake in asking them to go. John Kerry is a gifted political exaggerator. On several occasions, Mr. Kerry has used his political license to embellish upon his actions on Christmas Eve in 1968. For example, he claimed to be five miles inside Cambodia being shot at by our South Vietnamese allies. He was forced to back off these assertions, saying instead that he was near the Cambodian border on 24 December 1968 and that it was some time later that he actually went into Cambodia. If Mr. Kerry did not go into Cambodia on Christmas Eve, what did he do? John Kerry took his vessel on an unauthorized excursion to the Cambodian border. He got into a fire-fight, probably with friendly forces. The known casualties - one civilian killed and two South Vietnamese soldiers wounded. In January 1969, Mr. Kerry and PCF-44 were on a routine patrol on the Cua Lon River. A sampan surprised his crew despite the powerful radar the boat carried. The crew challenged the sampan and opened fire, killing a 12 year old boy. This is known as the Sampan Incident. The killing of the boy was deemed to be within the rules of engagement in effect at the time. It was an ugly and brutal war. Whether the situation should have been prevented is another question. Why wasn't the sampan detected by the boat's radar? Why didn't the crew's fire discipline include warning shots? These two issues go to the leadership and decision making of John Kerry. Following the killing of the young boy, the crew of PCF-44 was "dispersed under transfer orders." Mr. Kerry's activities over the next three weeks are not defined in the available official documentation. The biographies; by Professor Douglas Brinkley and by Mr. Kranish, Mr. Mooney, and Ms. Easton of the Boston Globe; give the impression that Mr. Kerry went directly from his assignment on PCF-44 to an assignment on PCF-94. This is misleading. Mr. Kerry was without an assignment for three weeks out of the 17 weeks he was in Vietnam. Was his role in the Sampan Incident being investigated? We don't know. There is no documentation covering the period in the military records that he has allowed to be released. John Kerry & PCF-44 provides the first known public insight into Mr. Kerry's downtime. PCF-44 under Mr. Kerry was not an effective combat vessel. They went on several joyrides and played tricks and games to pass the time. On two occasions civilians were killed by fire from PCF-44, and in both cases it seems that no enemy was involved. John Kerry left Vietnam eight months early. He had incurred three minor wounds and took advantage of Navy Instruction 1300.39 which permits reassignment given three Purple Hearts. Mr. Kerry's decision to request a transfer under the thrice wounded instruction is a personal matter. I might have made the same decision, but my President would have chosen differently. He would have felt duty bound to stay with his crew, his band of brothers. Mr. Kerry is unqualified to be President by virtue of placing self over team.