On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 16:22:48 -0400, "George Z. Bush"
wrote:


"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 07:39:44 -0400, "George Z. Bush"
wrote:


Did you also know that Mr. Kerry also stupidly and recklessly risked his
men and warship to win the medals?

Isn't it hilarious how "stupidly and recklessly" impressed the awarding
authorities so much that they approved the award of a Silver Star and a
Bronze Star to him? But what do those jerks know, right? They were just Navy
captains and admirals.
George Z.

Dare we bring up LBJ's Silver Star?

When did you start needing my permission? But why do you want to compare a
Texas congressman on active duty with a 23 year old boat driver who, at that
point, had no markers out that he could call on for somebody to run interference
for him? Other than the piece of hardware that evolved, aren't they apples and
oranges? One was a field grade officer with political clout and the other a
green company grade guy. Or am I not remembering it right?

George Z.

I think you aren't remembering it right. LBJ's service was hardly
"active duty" and the SS mission was absurd.

My point was that medals vary. There are a lot of heroic events that
gain no award and a lot of awards that followed minimalist events.

My opinion has always been that medals are often the result of being
in the wrong place at the right time and then doing something stupid.
I'll freely admit that my Silver Star came for a mission that I
shouldn't have even launched on. But, I survived, the target was hit
and a fortuitous positioning of another bird with a strike camera
provided the evidence.

I might add, though, that my SS is in the box and hasn't been thrown
over any fences. You can tell it is mine, because my name is engraved
on the back--which is what they do for presentation.

Many have been questioning the circumstances of Kerry's award, but
that isn't the point of emphasis in my criticism of the man. My gripe
is his conduct afterward which was clearly for political gain and at
the expense of a lot of his "brothers" who were defamed by his
statements.

I committed no atrocities, am guilty of no war crimes, and served
honorably for a considerably longer period of combat than Kerry.
Please don't expect me to like a man who has accused me and my friends
of the opposite.




Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8