User talk:Rex071404/vf

Brinkley says the wound was minor
According to Brinkley, the noted historian, Vietnam War expert and Kerry service details expert, the wound was "minor". I have sourced this to a verbatim quote, but all some editors here have done is mock me and deny the obvious.

k1 v1
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans destroying them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. The shrapnel was later removed and Kerry was treated with bacitracin dressing. The next day, Kerry returned to Swift boat patrol duty. Kerry was subsequently awarded his first Purple Heart for this wound. During the 2004 election, this incident was the focus of considerable contention.

k1 v2
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a laceration shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied bacitracin dressing. The injury was not serious and the next day, Kerry went on a regular Swift boat patrol with a bandage on his arm. During the 2004 election, Kerry's Purple Heart for this wound was both criticized and defended.

k1 v3
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied bacitracin dressing. Kerry's injury was not serious and the next day, with his arm bandaged, he returned to regular Swift boat patrol duty. During the 2004 election, this incident and Kerry's resulting Purple Heart were disputed by critics of Kerry. Also in 2004, prompted by a request from Judicial Watch, the Navy conducted a review of the existing documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved. 

k1 v4
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a shrapnel wound from an unknown source. Later, sick call medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied bacitracin dressing. Kerry's wound was not serious and the next day, he returned to regular Swift boat patrol duty. Kerry was later awarded a Purple Heart for this wound. During the 2004 election, this incident was disputed by critics of Kerry. Also in 2004, after a request from Judicial Watch, the Navy conducted a review of the existing documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved. 

k1 v5
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied bacitracin dressing. The next day, with his arm bandaged, he returned to regular Swift boat patrol duty. While Kerry's injury was not serious, he was awarded a Purple Heart for this incident, which was later disputed by his critics during the 2004 election. Also in 2004, prompted by a request from Judicial Watch, the Navy conducted a review of the existing documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved. 

k1 v6
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. It was from this encounter that Kerry later sought a medal for a shrapnel wound but was initially rebuffed. After this incident, Kerry was treated by sick call medical staff, who removed shrapnel from his arm and applied bacitracin dressing. The next day, Kerry returned to regular Swift boat patrol duty. Kerry was later awarded his first Purple Heart for this incident. During the 2004 election, Kerry's version of these events was contested by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Also in 2004, at the prompting of Judicial Watch, the Navy conducted a review of the existing documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved. 

k1 v7
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a minor shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied bacitracin dressing. The next day, while still wearing the dressing, Kerry returned to regular Swift boat patrol duty. Kerry was later awarded his first Purple Heart for this incident. During the 2004 campaign, Kerry's merit for this medal was disputed, primarily by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. In September 2004, the Navy completed a review of the existing awards and treatment documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved. 

k1 v8
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied bacitracin dressing. The next day, Kerry went on a regular Swift boat patrol. Kerry was later awarded his first Purple Heart for this incident. During the 2004 campaign, Kerry's merit for this medal was disputed, primarily by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. In September 2004, the Navy completed a review of the existing awards and treatment documentation and determined that this and Kerry's other medals were properly approved. 

k1 v9
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a shrapnel wound in his left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied bacitracin dressing. The next day, Kerry returned to regular Swift boat patrol duty. During the 2004 election, this incident and Kerry's resulting Purple Heart were disputed by critics of Kerry. Also in 2004, the Navy conducted a review of the existing documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved. 

k1 v10
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, though there was no hostile fire, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied bacitracin dressing. The next day, with bacitracin dressing on his arm, Kerry returned to Swift boat patrol duty. During the 2004 election, this incident and Kerry's Purple Heart for it were disputed by some critics. Also in 2004, in response to a request, the Navy conducted a review of the existing documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved. 

k1 v11
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a minor laceration shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied a bacitracin dressing. The next day, with Kerry's arm bandaged, he returned to regular Swift boat patrol duty. During the 2004 election, this incident and Kerry's resulting Purple Heart were disputed by critics of Kerry. Also in 2004, the Navy conducted a review of the existing documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved. 

k1 v12
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of Vietnamese men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running when Kerry's boat fired a flare and then kept running when ordered in English by Kerry's crew to stop. As these men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened with fire machine guns and other weapons on the now abandoned sampans and destroyed them. It was from this encounter, that Kerry later claimed to have incurred an enemy action shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied a bacitracin dressing. The next day, with Kerry's arm bandaged in gauze, he returned his regular Swift boat patrol duties. During the 2004 election, this incident and Kerry's resulting Purple Heart were disputed by critics of Kerry and others. Also in 2004, the Navy conducted a review of the existing documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved. 

k1 v13
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running from Kerry's signal flare and order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans, destroying them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry received a laceration shrapnel wound in his left arm above the elbow. Later, medical staff removed the shrapnel and applied a gauze bacitracin dressing. The next day, with this dressing on his arm, Kerry returned to regular Swift boat patrol duty. During the 2004 election, this incident and Kerry's resulting Purple Heart were disputed by critics of Kerry. Also in 2004, the Navy conducted a review of the existing documentation and determined that Kerry's medals were properly approved.