Thurlow, the lead man for the Swiftboat Veterans against Kerry, lied.
Period.

War record counters Kerry critic's version
Doubt is cast on author who says Dem not under fire

Michael Dobbs, Washington Post
Thursday, August 19, 2004



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Washington -- Newly obtained military records of one of Sen. John
Kerry's most vocal critics, who has accused the Democratic
presidential candidate of lying about his wartime record to win
medals, contradict his own version of events.

In newspaper interviews and a best-selling book, Larry Thurlow, who
commanded a Navy swift boat alongside Kerry in Vietnam, has strongly
disputed Kerry's claim that his boat came under fire during a mission
on March 13, 1969. Kerry won a Bronze Star for his actions that day.

But Thurlow's military records, portions of which were released
Wednesday to the Washington Post under the Freedom of Information Act,
contain several references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons
fire" directed at the five-boat flotilla.

Thurlow won his own Bronze Star that day, and the citation praises him
for providing assistance to a damaged swift boat "despite enemy
bullets flying about him."

As one of five swift boat skippers who led the raid up the Bay Hap
River, Thurlow was a direct participant in the disputed events. He is
also a leading member of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a public
advocacy group of Vietnam veterans that has aired a controversial
television advertisement attacking Kerry's war record.

In interviews and written reminiscences, Kerry has described how his
50- foot patrol boat came under fire from the banks of the Bay Hap
after a mine explosion disabled another U.S. patrol boat. According to
Kerry and members of his crew, the firing continued as an injured
Kerry leaned over the bow of his ship to rescue a Special Forces
officer who was blown overboard in a second explosion.

Last month, Thurlow swore in an affidavit that Kerry was "not under
fire" when he fished Lt. James Rassmann out of the water. He described
Kerry's Bronze Star citation, which says that all units involved came
under "small arms and automatic weapons fire," as "totally
fabricated."

"I never heard a shot," Thurlow said in his affidavit, which was
released by Swift Boats Veterans for Truth.

A document recommending Thurlow for the Bronze Star noted that all his
actions "took place under constant enemy small arms fire which LTJG
THURLOW completely ignored in providing immediate assistance" to the
disabled boat and its crew. The citation states that all other units
in the flotilla also came under fire.