Hoffmann’s Grand Deception

I sent this column out to a few regional papers in response to the RTD's shameless printing of the Hoffmann commentary. If anyone would actually publish and/or read my work, this is how it would look.

In his Sunday, September 19^th Richmond Times-Dispatch “guest commentary,” Admiral Roy Hoffmann (ret.) accused Democratic Presidential nominee Sen. John F. Kerry of deceiving the American public with “gross exaggerations, distortions of fact, and out right lies” regarding Sen. Kerry’s Vietnam combat service. Hoffmann’s allegations would be shocking and damning if they were not so baseless and deceptive. Hoffmann slanders Kerry with accusations already refuted multiple times by various sources, including other swift boat veterans.

Hoffmann charges that Kerry did not deserve his first Purple Heart. Hoffmann omits the fact that, according to Navy rules and regulations, Kerry did qualify for it. A Purple Heart is given for “injury caused by enemy bullet, shrapnel or other projectile created by enemy action.” Hoffmann does not mention that Kerry and his crewmates were engaged with Viet Cong smugglers at the time of the injury, instead referencing the incident as a mysterious “scenario.”

Hoffmann goes on to challenge Kerry’s third Purple Heart and his Bronze Star citation by questioning the official US Navy version of the events that occurred at Bay Hap River on March 13, 1969. Hoffmann claims Kerry did not deserve a Bronze Star because there was no enemy fire and, by deceptive slight-of-hand, tries to invalidate Kerry’s third Purple Heart by minimizing Kerry’s injury.

Hoffmann claims that Lt. Rassmann fell overboard when Kerry’s boat “fled the scene” following a mine explosion. According to members of Kerry’s crew and Rassmann himself, their boats were moving full speed down the river when the mine exploded. Subsequently, a second explosion occurred, sending Rassmann into the water. With the boat still moving at full speed, the crew did not see Rassmann fall off the boat. Then, one of the crew members spotted him and Kerry turned the boat around. While receiving fire from both banks of the river, Kerry fished Rassmann out of the water.

Hoffmann claims there was no enemy fire during this incident. However, all three of the Bronze Star citations awarded that day note enemy fire. One of the other swift boats had bullet holes in it, according to a damage report. Finally, another participant in the incident that day, Wayne Langhofer (who is independent of both the Kerry campaign and the Swift Boat Veterans), corroborates Kerry and Rassmann’s claim that there was indeed enemy fire.

Hoffman’s claim that Kerry’s medical records from the incident show only a “minor bruise” is simply not true. Kerry’s medical citation states that he received a “contusion” – it says nothing about the injury being minor. Again, this type of injury meets the basic criteria for the Purple Heart, since it was documented as an injury received in combat.

According to an exhaustive examination by the Washington Post, consisting of a review of Naval Historical Records and more than two dozen interviews with former crewmates, the Post concluded that the Swift Boat Veterans, including Adm. Hoffmann, “have failed to come up with sufficient evidence” to disprove Kerry’s and the official Naval version of events.

Not only have the Swift Boat Veterans failed to provide evidence, but Hoffman’s litany of charges against Sen. Kerry is not consistent with his own record. On February 28 1969, then-Captain Roy Hoffmann wrote a message praising Lt. Kerry’s boat, as well as two other boats in the Dong Cung tributary for an “extremely successful raid,” showing “superb coordination,” and representing a “shining example.” Why would Hoffmann heap such praise on a young officer for whom he had such disdain and contempt? Why would Hoffmann speak glowingly of an officer with “a strong anti-war bias”, “self-serving determination,” and “contempt for military authority”?

Over the last few months, Hoffmann has not only been inconsistent, he has contradicted himself. He is quoted in the May 6 Milwaukee Journal has having “no first-hand knowledge to discredit Kerry’s claims” and saying he “didn’t know Kerry much personally.” However, by August 4 (following the publishing of the Swift Vets book and the release of their ads), Hoffmann had changed his story. Scripps Howard quoted Hoffmann this way on August 4, “I knew him well enough to know him.” On August 5, the Associated Press quotes Hoffmann as saying, “I knew him (John Kerry) well."

Admiral Hoffmann closed his tirade this way, “This is not about politics; it’s about truthfulness, reliability, loyalty, and trust.” Yes, Admiral, it is. And you have not been truthful, reliable or trustworthy.