John Kerry and His Vietnam Service

In 1966, John Kerry was about to complete his degree at Yale. He became sidetracked when he answered the call from the President to serve in Vietnam. “I signed up for the Navy right out of college – 1966. I had a sense of responsibility to serve -- Lyndon Johnson had asked for more troops and I thought I'd be a part of that. I also very specifically remember not wanting to go to grad school just to avoid serving, I wanted to one day go to grad school on my own terms instead.” Kerry chose the Navy largely because of the influence of John F. Kennedy, a man he admired, who had spent time in this branch of the military.
Upon completion of his first tour of duty, Kerry requested serving as an officer of a swift boat--again to following in the footsteps of his hero Kennedy. Though Kerry did not know the danger involved when volunteering to command these 50-foot watercrafts, he was quickly initiated due to life threatening situations. He later said, “I think anyone who has been in combat believes at some point they're not going to make it - there's a moment when you're knocked out or you feel a bullet cut through your flesh - or you spot an ambush.” John Kerry’s wounds have stayed with him through out his life. Kerry has shrapnel in his left thigh because the doctors decided to remove damaged tissue and close the wound with sutures rather than make a wide opening to remove the shrapnel. Even after sustaining this injury, he did not take any time off from duty.

John Kerry’s dedication to his shipmates and his country earned him three purple hearts on three different occasions. He also earned a silver star and a bronze star after pulling an injured shipmate out of the water, saving the man's life. Through recently an attack group has tried to discredit these facts, sorting through their misguided rhetoric only clarifies the story of John Kerry’s bravery. (I will not take time defending these accusations as respected papers such as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, as well as the Associated Press verified the facts and printed thorough accounts of some of the war events in question.). Kerry was one of the first to raise his hand to support his country and followed through with valiant service.

Upon returning home from Vietnam, Kerry was thrown into a country split with confusion. The war took its toll in more than physical wounds. As Kerry relates: “My thoughts on the war changed while I was there -- I saw a war that was not being prosecuted effectively, I saw a war that was continuing not so we could win but so politicians in Washington wouldn't have to admit their mistakes along the way. There were just too many flat out lies and distortions that separated what we knew was happening there and what we were told was happening by Washington.” Upon returning home from Vietnam, Kerry was thrown into a country rent with confusion. Kerry related stories about his commanding officers making decisions unsure of how to aggressively encounter the Vietcong. Kerry describes the situation: “My quarrel was that we were not prosecuting the war in a way that could ever lead to victory, which was destroying the lives of too many young Americans.” Although Kerry has taken criticism for his outspoken attitude after the war, it should be remembered he put his life on the line for the cause and he never backed away from what he believed.