James Rassmann
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James Rassmann (born ~1948), a resident of the U.S. state of Oregon, served as a United States Army Special Forces First Lieutenant and Executive Officer of a 12-man Green Beret unit (designated A404), in the Vietnam War. He was rescued from the Bay Hap River on March 13, 1969 by future Presidential candidate John Kerry.
Rassman recommended Kerry for a Silver Star medal, but the two did not maintain a relationship for the following 30 years. Rassman gained national prominence during the 2004 Presidential election when he publicly denounced the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's campaign against Kerry.
Rassman is now a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy sheriff and an "avid" orchid grower.
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[edit] Events in Vietnam
Kerry was serving in the United States Navy at the time, as lieutenant and Officer-in-Charge of Swift Boat PCF-94, which for that period primarily patrolled in the Mekong River delta. On 13 March 1969, they had completed operations, had debarked some passengers but retained others, and this squadron of five PCF boats was headed out of the river to the bay. They approached a weir (a series of poles across the river, like thousands along the shore and the shoreline of the bay, across which nets could be strung). Some of the boats hugged the shore to the left, some to the right, in order to get around. As they tried to go around, the lead boat to the left, PCF-3, was blown clear out of the water with a command detonated mine (someone was nearby to remotely detonate it). According to Sen. Kerry's account, Kerry was already injured himself, and his boat (already damaged from a second mine explosion) came under heavy fire, when Kerry heard "man overboard". He says that he ordered that the crew turn the boat around and return to pick up Rassmann, who had fallen off the port side or stern of PCF-94. Rassmann was for some reason unable to climb up over the cargo net near the bow of PCF-94, so Kerry pulled him on deck. The incident earned Kerry a Bronze Star for bravery and his third Purple Heart.
[edit] Political fallout
This account is disputed by members of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who were also present during this incident. The PCF-94 (sans Kerry; both he and Rassmann were evacuated to the Spencer by PCF-43) aided in salvaging the PCF-3 which was struck, even though PCF-94 supposedly hit a mine. The PCF-3 had been blown clear out of the water but was not sunk (none of the boats were sunk). For the supposedly heavy fire, no damage was found on the exposed boats that couldn't be accounted for from previous days. And other than Kerry's injury, which may have been received due to his own carelessness earlier in the day, and those injured on PCF-3, no other injuries were reported. Yet the official report, which many believe was given to the Spencer's operator by Kerry later that evening, specified a running gauntlet of fire for 5000 meters (which is more than three miles, or six total, three miles out and three miles back in order for PCF-94 to return for Rassmann), from both banks. Rassmann did say, among his many conflicting stories, that he recalled seeing all of the boats, and particularly Kerry's PCF-94, run away from the scene and out of his view, as he was ducking under the water and coming up for air. At other times he contradicted himself, even to the extent of not consistently reporting that he was even on the PCF-94. Those others at the scene, however, say that the boats immediately opened fire on the banks after the explosion, but quickly ceased as no enemy fire was returned (the bombers likely fleeing into the brush). They then set about rescuing the PCF-3 crew who had been thrown into the water. And when a boat approached Rassman to pull him out, then Kerry's PCF-94 returned and cut off that boat. Rassmann struggled on the cargo net of PCF-94, he has said, though the technique for climbing would have been taught even to special forces personnel. And Kerry pulled him on deck.
[edit] Rassman's involvement
Rassman recommended Kerry for a Silver Star. Based on such an officer's recommendation, lacking testimony to the contrary, as Kerry already had this award from a previous incident, he was awarded a Bronze Star with Combat V, instead. Part of the citation read - "Lt. Kerry directed his gunners to provide suppressing fire, while from an exposed position on the bow, his arm bleeding and in pain, with disregard for his personal safety, he pulled the man aboard." Rassmann reappeared and became a public figure just before the 2004 Iowa caucus. After having not seen Kerry for more than 30 years, he contacted the Kerry campaign and asked how he could help. He expressed that he had attempted to contact Kerry, whom he credits with saving his life, in 1984, but Kerry said he did not receive any message from Rassmann. Rassmann claimed to be a registered Republican. He said that he voted for Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, but also Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.[1] In Jan 2004, Rassmann officially changed his registration to the Democratic Party. Rassmann declared his support for Kerry in the Presidential race and the Kerry campaign engineered a meeting. The surprise reunion is credited with rousing veteran support for Kerry and propelling him to a victory in the Iowa caucus and beyond.
