"Steve Mellenthin" wrote
Ask yourself this question: how would you feel if your crew got to
go home after 3 months overseas, and you had to stay for duration
plus six months? Would you say "they went to war" as excited as
you are about JFKerry?

Always wondered about that early departure. Can anyone explain?

I think the story is, that he found out that you could request assignment
out of a war zone upon the award of three purple hearts. He then
went to sick call every time he got a scratch.