Bravery, Activism in Kerry's War Record

Feb. 13, 2004 -- Sen. John Kerry almost never stops talking about his war record, both on the campaign trail and in his televisions ads.

"Some of us know something about aircraft carriers for real," Kerry said — a not-too-subtle reminder that Kerry is the candidate who served with distinction in Vietnam.

Kerry was a Navy man himself, entering the service after graduating Yale University, becoming a Swift Boat officer and serving on a gunboat in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. He served two tours of duty and won a Bronze Star, a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts.

But when it comes to Vietnam there are two sides of John Kerry — the fighter cited for bravery in battle and the peace activist who helped lead the anti-war movement when he returned home.

Some of Kerry's most loyal and fervent supporters are those who also served in the war. But because of some of the things Kerry said and did when he came back from Vietnam, he has had a complicated relationship with veterans.

Kerry became a leader of Vietnam Veterans Against the War in 1971. He joined other vets in tossing their medals and ribbons on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. It was an emotional moment then, and for Fred Williams, a Marine in Vietnam, it still is.

"When I think about the guys that were lost over there and then he desecrates the memory of those people, I think it's very bad," Williams said.

John Kerry did not just oppose the war. He called attention to alleged atrocities committed by U.S. soldiers.

In 1971, Kerry testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, telling the stories of U.S. soldiers who said they had "personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads" and behaved in a "fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan."

Another Vietnam vet, Mac Owen, has written a scathing article about Kerry's testimony for the conservative National Review.

Protesting the war is fine, Owen said, but added, "He did it, it seemed to me, on the backs of the rest of us by coming back and by essentially accusing the rest of us of being war criminals and dupes and the like. And that is something a number of us just can't forgive."

Kerry's Loyal Veteran Base

But Kerry's loyal veteran supporters not only forgive Kerry — they praise him:

"I look at his comments after the war, whatever comments he made, he earned 'em," said former Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., who lost both his legs and his right hand to a Viet Cong grenade. "He earned the right, just like all of us Vietnam veterans earned the right, and all veterans earned the right to say whatever they want to."

Former Marine Tom Lyon said he was at angry at Kerry for years but has come to believe Kerry was right to oppose the war.

"We've moved on because, some 30 years later, we need someone like Senator Kerry to be [an] advocate for veterans," said Lyons.

Lyons has now not only forgiven Kerry, he volunteered to work on his presidential campaign.