Facebook Follies of Friends and Families

[viper37]

I don't get how everybody who did not support every overseas intervention is some kind of traitor. Hell Syt has posted memes from his family before attacking the government's wars.

Yeah, Trump kept attacking foreign interventions and he even decided to pull out of Afghanistan.

It was not like losing in Vietnam was some kind of existential crisis for the United States.

You sure about that?  How many movies about the inexistan existential crisis for your country?

[grumbler]

I know that John Kerry was a war hero in Vietnam

This I do not know.

He was well-decorated (Silver Star, Bronze Star, three Purple hearts), but not unusually so.  He's as heroic as the average guy was, there, I suppose, but likely was bolder than the typical PBR/PCF commander.

[alfred russel]

I know that John Kerry was a war hero in Vietnam

This I do not know.

Pick up a book

Good idea. I want to learn more about this so I just ordered this one:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unfit_for_Command

[crazy canuck]

Please report back what you think of the book after you have read it.

[grumbler]

I know that John Kerry was a war hero in Vietnam

This I do not know.

Pick up a book

Good idea. I want to learn more about this so I just ordered this one:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unfit_for_Command

When you are done with that, try to find a nonfiction book on the topic.

[alfred russel]

Please report back what you think of the book after you have read it.

I will! It is written by Vietnam veterans so you know it will be good!

[grumbler]

Please report back what you think of the book after you have read it.

I will! It is written by Vietnam veterans so you know it will be good!

Actually, the main author never served a day in his life.

[crazy canuck]

I know that John Kerry was a war hero in Vietnam

This I do not know.

He was well-decorated (Silver Star, Bronze Star, three Purple hearts), but not unusually so.  He's as heroic as the average guy was, there, I suppose, but likely was bolder than the typical PBR/PCF commander.

How common would it be to get three Purple Hearts - not trying to suggest you are wrong, I just have no idea how frequently someone would sustain an injury combat.

[The Minsky Moment]

As I understand it the serious argument against Kerry wasn't the Swift Boat stuff, but his very vocal anti-war activism after his return.  Apparently there were attempts to court-martial him (he was still a reserve officer at the time) because of his actions then.

I'm sure there were such attempts but that pesky First Amendment thing always seems to get in the way whenever the authoritarian impulse raises it head.

[grumbler]

How common would it be to get three Purple Hearts - not trying to suggest you are wrong, I just have no idea how frequently someone would sustain an injury combat.

Two of the three were just bad luck (caused in part by the boldness i mentioned).  One was gained under moderately heroic conditions (he violated standing procedures and ran his boat aground because he thought it necessary to protect his crews' lives).  He also got the Silver Star for that one.

Three purple hearts in four months' service (the third one sent him home) is getting wounded at a much higher rate than one would expect, but doesn't necessarily indicate much higher than usual levels of heroism.  The Silver Star might, to some people.  I personally pretty much reserve the title of military hero to those getting the Navy Cross/Distinguished service Cross, or, obviously, The Medal itself.

[The Minsky Moment]

He was well-decorated (Silver Star, Bronze Star, three Purple hearts), but not unusually so.  He's as heroic as the average guy was, there, I suppose, but likely was bolder than the typical PBR/PCF commander.

Pretty much anyone who went out on one of those boats is a hero in my book.
You don't have to be Audie Murphy to be a hero; I'm pretty sure Audie Murphy would say something like that if he were still alive.

As for Kerry, when Dole ran against Clinton, it was fair game for Republicans to talk about what Clinton did re Vietnam

But anyone who voted Trump needs to STFU about Vietnam, especially if they want to throw shade on someone who served in combat.

[crazy canuck]

How common would it be to get three Purple Hearts - not trying to suggest you are wrong, I just have no idea how frequently someone would sustain an injury combat.

Two of the three were just bad luck (caused in part by the boldness i mentioned).  One was gained under moderately heroic conditions (he violated standing procedures and ran his boat aground because he thought it necessary to protect his crews' lives).  He also got the Silver Star for that one.

Three purple hearts in four months' service (the third one sent him home) is getting wounded at a much higher rate than one would expect, but doesn't necessarily indicate much higher than usual levels of heroism.  The Silver Star might, to some people.  I personally pretty much reserve the title of military hero to those getting the Navy Cross/Distinguished service Cross, or, obviously, The Medal itself.

Got it, thanks.

[Syt]

[Syt]

And I would assume Earnhardt never won a Super Bowl, so I don't get the point of this one.

[crazy canuck]

"Ain't Ever"  do people say that?