Records dispute Kerry critic's Swift boat story

By Michael Dobbs
The Washington Post

Larry Thurlow commanded a Swift boat.

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In 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 March 13, 1969, in Viet Cong-controlled territory. Kerry won a Bronze Star that day.

But Thurlow's military records, portions of which were released yesterday under the Freedom of Information Act, contain several references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire" directed at "all units" of the five-boat flotilla. Thurlow also won a Bronze Star, and the citation praises him for providing aid 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 also is a leading member of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The public-advocacy group of Vietnam veterans, dismayed by Kerry's subsequent anti-war activities, has aired a controversial advertisement attacking his war record.

Kerry has described how his patrol boat came under fire after a mine explosion disabled another 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.

Thurlow last month swore in an affidavit that Kerry was "not under fire" when he grabbed Lt. James Rassmann. He described Kerry's Bronze Star citation as "totally fabricated."

A document recommending Thurlow for the Bronze Star, however, noted 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 came under fire.

"It's like a Hollywood presentation here, which wasn't the case," Thurlow said last night after being read the full text of his Bronze Star citation. "My personal feeling was always that I got the award for coming to the rescue of the boat that was mined. This casts doubt on anybody's awards. It is sickening and disgusting."

He said he would consider his award "fraudulent" if coming under fire was the basis for it.

Thurlow and other anti-Kerry veterans repeatedly have alleged that Kerry authored a report that described how his boat came under fire. The Kerry campaign disputes that assertion, and there is no convincing documentary evidence to settle the argument.

Two other skippers, Jack Chenoweth and Richard Pees, have said they do not remember coming under "enemy fire." A fourth commander, Don Droz, who was one of Kerry's closest friends in Vietnam, was killed in action a month later.
 
The Bronze Star controversy also is a major focus of an anti-Kerry book by John O'Neill, "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry." The book accuses Kerry of "fleeing the scene" and lying.

Rassmann and other members of Kerry's crew have come to his defense. Rassmann says he has vivid memories of being fired at from both banks.

The Bronze Star recommendations for Kerry and Thurlow were signed by Lt. Cmdr. George Elliott, a Swift Boat Veterans for Truth supporter who has questioned Kerry's actions. But he has refused to be interviewed after issuing conflicting statements to the Boston Globe over whether Kerry deserved a Silver Star. He could not be reached last night.