FREEBIRD
01-29-04, 07:18 PM
Kerry Discussion: Thoughts of a Vietnam POW
by Joe Crecca
29 Jan 04
The rigors and hardships of being a POW aside, I remember the so-called, ÇæPeace Movement,Çç and ÇæPeace Marches and RalliesÇç that were taking place back home in the U.S.A. Our captors were more than willing, within their means, to provide us with any and all anti-U.S. and anti-Vietnam War propaganda. Without a choice in the matter, we listened to the ÇæVoice of VietnamÇç broadcasts by, ÇæHanoi HannahÇç and were shown newspaper and magazine photos and articles about those opposing the war back in the States. One of the peace marchersÇå standard slogans was to, ÇæBring our boys home now and, alive.Çç The warped thinking of such people was that by demonstrating against U.S. involvement in Vietnam, theyÇåd be shortening the war and reducing the number of American casualties. These demonstrators would also try to make one believe that their efforts would bring POWs like me home sooner. They were utterly wrong on both counts not to mention the detrimental effect their actions had on the morale of our troops and our POWs.
John F. Kerry was not just one of these demonstrators. He was leading them.
Therefore, these so-called demonstrations for peace had the exact opposite effect of what they were purporting to accomplish. Instead of shortening the war the ÇæSo-Called Peace MovementÇç served only to protract the conflict resulting in a vastly greater number of Americans killed and wounded, greater economic burdens and longer periods of incarceration for Americans held captive in Vietnam. The war would have been over much sooner and with a much more favorable result if those in the ÇæSo-Called Peace MovementÇç would have instead rallied behind the Commander-in-Chief to accomplish our mission and then, withdraw.
It is inescapable to think of the so-called peace movement and the anti-war demonstrators without also thinking how many fewer names there would now be engraved into the black granite of the Vietnam Wall if these same people had supported our efforts instead of trying to derail them. After all, fighting against a political regime that up to that time had murdered over a hundred million people couldn't have been all bad. But, John F. Kerry thought and acted differently. How many more names on the wall can he take credit for?
After the war ended, some of the war protesters hung on to their anti-war postures for a while. Some of them realized the errors of their ways almost immediately while for others it took twenty to twenty-five years.
But some, like John F. Kerry have not realized there was anything wrong with what he did. Instead, he hopes we will see him as a courageous Vietnam veteran. I do not. He hopes we will admire his bravery. I do not. I remember him more for his misdeeds upon his return from Vietnam.
However, in the present political arena, he evidently has succeeded in gaining the support of some well-meaning but misled Americans. Given his past record, it is just astonishing that he has garnered any support from our nation's veterans.
I hope all will reconsider their support for Senator Kerry in light of his actions which were so detrimental to our Vietnam combat soldiers, sailors and airmen many of whom are not here today to tell you themselves.
Thank you for considering my views. Please share what I have written with your fellow vets....
Joe Crecca
Vietnam POW
22NOV66-18FEB73
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by Joe Crecca
29 Jan 04
The rigors and hardships of being a POW aside, I remember the so-called, ÇæPeace Movement,Çç and ÇæPeace Marches and RalliesÇç that were taking place back home in the U.S.A. Our captors were more than willing, within their means, to provide us with any and all anti-U.S. and anti-Vietnam War propaganda. Without a choice in the matter, we listened to the ÇæVoice of VietnamÇç broadcasts by, ÇæHanoi HannahÇç and were shown newspaper and magazine photos and articles about those opposing the war back in the States. One of the peace marchersÇå standard slogans was to, ÇæBring our boys home now and, alive.Çç The warped thinking of such people was that by demonstrating against U.S. involvement in Vietnam, theyÇåd be shortening the war and reducing the number of American casualties. These demonstrators would also try to make one believe that their efforts would bring POWs like me home sooner. They were utterly wrong on both counts not to mention the detrimental effect their actions had on the morale of our troops and our POWs.
John F. Kerry was not just one of these demonstrators. He was leading them.
Therefore, these so-called demonstrations for peace had the exact opposite effect of what they were purporting to accomplish. Instead of shortening the war the ÇæSo-Called Peace MovementÇç served only to protract the conflict resulting in a vastly greater number of Americans killed and wounded, greater economic burdens and longer periods of incarceration for Americans held captive in Vietnam. The war would have been over much sooner and with a much more favorable result if those in the ÇæSo-Called Peace MovementÇç would have instead rallied behind the Commander-in-Chief to accomplish our mission and then, withdraw.
It is inescapable to think of the so-called peace movement and the anti-war demonstrators without also thinking how many fewer names there would now be engraved into the black granite of the Vietnam Wall if these same people had supported our efforts instead of trying to derail them. After all, fighting against a political regime that up to that time had murdered over a hundred million people couldn't have been all bad. But, John F. Kerry thought and acted differently. How many more names on the wall can he take credit for?
After the war ended, some of the war protesters hung on to their anti-war postures for a while. Some of them realized the errors of their ways almost immediately while for others it took twenty to twenty-five years.
But some, like John F. Kerry have not realized there was anything wrong with what he did. Instead, he hopes we will see him as a courageous Vietnam veteran. I do not. He hopes we will admire his bravery. I do not. I remember him more for his misdeeds upon his return from Vietnam.
However, in the present political arena, he evidently has succeeded in gaining the support of some well-meaning but misled Americans. Given his past record, it is just astonishing that he has garnered any support from our nation's veterans.
I hope all will reconsider their support for Senator Kerry in light of his actions which were so detrimental to our Vietnam combat soldiers, sailors and airmen many of whom are not here today to tell you themselves.
Thank you for considering my views. Please share what I have written with your fellow vets....
Joe Crecca
Vietnam POW
22NOV66-18FEB73
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------