This is not the venue in which this type of discussion belongs.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: stephentjohnson [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 9:25 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      [HP3000-L] [Fwd: Al Gore In Viet Nam]
>
> -------- Original Message --------
>      Subject: Al Gore In Viet Nam
>         Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 17:32:17 -0700
>         From: "R. Steve Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
>     Reply-To: "R. Steve Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
> Organization: R. S. Smith and Co., Inc.
>           To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:@snipe.prod.itd.earthlink.net;>
>
> > AL GORE IN VIET NAM
> > >
> > > Having posted a little tickler in last week's Digest about Al Gore's
>
> 141
> > > days
> > > in Vietnam," The Federalist Editorial Board was inundated with
> inquiries
> > > from
> > > Vietnam vets. Most went something like this: "Gore claimed in his
> > > convention
> > > speech: 'I enlisted in the Army because I knew if I didn't go,
> someone
> > > else
> > > in the small town of Carthage, Tennessee would have to go in my
> place.'
> > >
> > > Since he wasn't KIA or wounded, how was it that his Army tour was
> far
> > > shorter
> > > than all the rest of us?"
> > >
> > > Our astute veteran readers took the bait!
> > >
> > > Gore's campaign launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign this week
>
> to
> > > tell
> > > his "life story." The ads will include references to his service" in
>
> > > Vietnam-however brief. Gore spent less than five months of a typical
>
> > > twelve-month tour in Vietnam. He spent every minute of his "tour" as
>
> a
> > > "rear-echelon....MF" (call any combat veteran and they can complete
> that
> > > phrase for you). He was classified as a military journalist after
> > > telling
> > > recruiters he was a newspaper trainee" (read "copy boy") for the New
>
> > > York
> > > Times while a student at Harvard. He was assigned as a noncombatant
> > > "information specialist" to the Army's 20th Engineers Brigade
> > > headquarters at
> > > Bien Hoa military base near Saigon. Gore's immediate supervisor in
> > > Vietnam
> > > has confirmed that his posting there came with explicit instructions
>
> to
> > > baby-sit him and make sure he was never in any danger. That fact
> > > notwithstanding, Gore has claimed to the Washington Post that he was
>
> > > "shot
> > > at" and "spent most of my time in the field."
> > >
> > > He later told the Baltimore Sun that "[I] pulled my turn on the
> > > perimeter at
> > > night and walked through the elephant grass and I was fired upon."
> He
> > > has
> > > since backed off these exaggerated claims.
> > >
> > > On May 22, 1971, not five months into his "tour of duty," Gore was
> given
> > > special dispensation and a one-way ticket home to attend divinity
> school
> > > in
> > > Nashville. He dropped out of Vanderbilt shortly thereafter.
> > >
> > > As for the seven months cut from Gore's tour of duty in Vietnam, we
> > > suppose
> > > "someone else in the small town of Carthage, Tennessee" had to
> finish
> > > his
> > > tour "in his place."  If everyone sends the above to 7 people, I am
> > > positive
> > > that we can do some good for the COUNTRY.
> > >
> > > And please remember to vote........
> >Steve R. S. Smith & Company, Inc.
> 37855 Via Majorca
> Murrieta, Ca  92562-7102 Phone:  909 677-3824
> Fax:       909 698-3768
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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