General Patton on Lieutenant Kerry

When pressed about what happened to his medals, Kerry now says
the medals he threw away were not his and that his are displayed in his
Senate office.

I'm not sure this is entirely true. What I heard said in the campaign
here in New Hampshire is that Kerry's citations (that is, the words,
not the metal and cloth) are on display in his office. They could have
been destroyed and replaced many times (so could his medals, for that
matter).

Kerry recently said (quoted in the Wall Street Journal) that he threw
away his own medals and those of two? other individuals who could not
be present that day (or perhaps who preferred not to be).

I don't know what the truth of this is. Perhaps he went back to the
pile afterward and retrieved his medals; I would hardly blame him for
that. How old was he, anyway? 25? Or perhaps he sent a clerk out to
replace them. The physical objects have no reality attached to them,
or very little. (I suppose that a Medal of Honor that was pinned on
you by the president has some specific merit as opposed to a
replacement.)

My own military honors were limited to the sharpshooter's medal, Good
Conduct medal, and National Defense medal, the latter two of which I
never bothered to collect (I was discharged in France). As a summer
soldier, I would never presume to critize a young man for what he did
with his medals. It was a time of guerrilla theater; Kerry had served
honorably, at risk to his life and limb, in a war that like so many of
us he later decided wasn't worth fighting.

As a Republican, I won't hold this episode against him. I am glad that
the Democrats have shaken off the flakes and opportunists and trial
lawyers and (seemingly) annointed a real leader.





all the best -- Dan Ford
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No president we've ever had is more qualified to
don the Nomex and carry a helmet.

Just so nobody misunderstands my defense of Kerry on this particular
matter, I hasten to agree with you here.

(But note that Kerry is current as a pilot

all the best -- Dan Ford
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Didn't Patton die in 1945??

The quote supposedly was from Patton III.


all the best -- Dan Ford
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see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
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Your source is in error. The WWI and WWII hero was "Jr."
His father changed his middle name from William to Smith, and
therefore was not a "Jr."

The Biographical Dictionary of World War II confirms that the famous
(infamous, if you prefer) general was George Smith Patton, Junior.

all the best -- Dan Ford
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He may have gone by Jr, but have been the third George Patton, or have gone
by Jr, and really have been the II.

Naming doesn't happen that way. To be a Junior or II or III requires
that all your names be identical. That's why the 43rd president is not
George Bush Junior, though his father is also George Bush. The stuff
in between is different.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
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In May 1972, the Boston Phoenix reported that Kerry had ...

Could we please stick to military aviation and can the OT political
crap?

Nah, this is a good thread. We are talking about the military record
of a war veteran who if elected president will be the commander in
chief, of the air force as well as other branches.

Furthermore, he's a pilot.

I'm interested in Kerry, and I'm interested in what he did with his
medals.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

I am glad that
the Democrats have shaken off the flakes and opportunists and trial
lawyers and (seemingly) annointed a real leader.

Kerry is no more a leader than Jane Fonda and hopefully this will become
apparent over the next 10 months.


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

And just what were your war exploits? Anything? What he did in combat no
one
denies. And he is a hero and a fine soldier and leader of men as a result.
And
where do you stand in terms of military acheivement against Lt. Kerry?.

Actually Art, he was a sailor.

R / John

"BUFDRVR" wrote

Kerry is no more a leader than Jane Fonda and hopefully this will become
apparent over the next 10 months.

It doesn't take me 10 minutes, but I concur.

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

When pressed about what happened to his medals, Kerry now says
the medals he threw away were not his and that his are displayed in his
Senate office.

I'm not sure this is entirely true. What I heard said in the campaign
here in New Hampshire is that Kerry's citations (that is, the words,
not the metal and cloth) are on display in his office. They could have
been destroyed and replaced many times (so could his medals, for that
matter).

A couple of other reports indicate he has (or had) the medals themselves on
display. Not that it matters much--he tossed the medals, and by doing so
turned his back on what they represented (though if he did get three PH's
without suffering *any* lost duty days, they may indeed have been sort of
meaningless in *his* case!); turning around and then putting even the
citations upon his wall is just being two-faced.


Kerry recently said (quoted in the Wall Street Journal) that he threw
away his own medals and those of two? other individuals who could not
be present that day (or perhaps who preferred not to be).

I don't know what the truth of this is. Perhaps he went back to the
pile afterward and retrieved his medals; I would hardly blame him for
that. How old was he, anyway? 25? Or perhaps he sent a clerk out to
replace them. The physical objects have no reality attached to them,
or very little.

He openly held them in contempt when he tossed them. I did not hear of that
gent who returned his French decorations to the French Embassy last year
going back and retrieving them later--he stood by his actions, be they good
or bad. Kerry wanted to have his cake and eat it, too--but now that cake is
likely to cause him a bit of indigestion.

(I suppose that a Medal of Honor that was pinned on
you by the president has some specific merit as opposed to a
replacement.)

My own military honors were limited to the sharpshooter's medal, Good
Conduct medal, and National Defense medal, the latter two of which I
never bothered to collect (I was discharged in France). As a summer
soldier, I would never presume to critize a young man for what he did
with his medals. It was a time of guerrilla theater; Kerry had served
honorably, at risk to his life and limb, in a war that like so many of
us he later decided wasn't worth fighting.

Then let him live with that choice to discard his medals and not shamelessly
now try to parade them for his own benefit. My brother earned decorations in
that same conflict as did Kerry; he repeatedly risked his life as a Dustoff
pilot and was shot down once, and when his CO mentioned he thought he could
get him a PH for wrenching his back during the crash he differed. He never
threw his medals, one of which included a "V" device, over any fence when he
returned. He was buried with them. Maybe Kerry could show enough backbone to
likewise follow the course he set for himself and *live* without the medals
he discarded in such a public manner.


As a Republican, I won't hold this episode against him. I am glad that
the Democrats have shaken off the flakes and opportunists and trial
lawyers and (seemingly) annointed a real leader.

In my book, a guy who discards his medals in a publicity stunt and then
later tries to parlay those same medals into improving his electability is
the supreme opportunist, regardless of which party he is affiliated with.

Brooks





all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com