The Wasington Post - 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 the Massachusetts Democrat's boat came under fire during a mission in Viet Cong-controlled territory on March 13, 1969. Kerry won a Bronze Star for his actions that day.
But Thurlow's military records, portions of which were released yesterday to The Washington Post 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 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."
Well, he's either lying or a hypocrite. If the boats really were under fire that day then Thurlow is lying and his criticism of Kerry is invalid. If the boats weren't under fire then Thurlow is something of a hypocrite for criticizing Kerry, but that criticism remains vaild.
I should also point out that this is the Washington Post coming out with this story. Given the fact that they haven't even bothered to cover Kerry's blatant lie about his time (or lack thereof) spent in Cambodia we can't exactly consider them an impartial source.
We'll just have to see how it pans out.
Update:
Reader Chuck Simmins has a link to the response from Mr. Thurlow to this accusation posted in the comments.