Information Base

Assignments

Review

17 Dec 66 - 10 Mar 67

CAPT E. D. Spruance

Naval Schools Command

Treasure Island, CA

Fitrep File Pages 1-2

Student

Officer Damage Control Course

Subject received rating of "Excellent Performance". Frequently demonstrates outstanding performance" despite a class rank solidly in the middle of the class (17/33).

Subject marked uniformly as "Nonobserved" as is normal for a student. Despite this 'Nonobserved" rating, subject was marked down on cooperation and military bearing.

22 Mar 67 - 14 Apr 67

CAPT A. F. Fischer, Jr.

Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center

San Diego, CA

Fitrep File Pages 3-4

Student

Anti-Air Warfare Training - CIC Watch Officers Course

Finished course in the upper half of class. All grades "Nonobserved," as is usually the case for students.

14 Apr 67 - 08 Jun 67

No Fitness Report available. Such a gap is abnormal, not explained in distributed materials and an indicator of possible, significant problems.

The Nuclear Weapons Training Certificate indicates that Kerry was in an orientation class 08 - 11 May 67. The is no record of his orders to the class, no record of his performance or where he was before or after the class until 08 Jun 67.

08 Jun 67 - 31 Aug 67

CAPT A. W. Slifer

USS Gridley

Fitrep File Pages 5-6

Electrical Officer

Public Affairs Officer

Officer of the Deck

A "walk-on-water" Fitrep. Subject recommended for accelerated promotion.

01 Sep 67 - 22 Mar 68

CAPT A. W. Slifer

USS Gridley

Fitrep File Pages 7-8

Multiple Assignments including WESTPAC combat ops 9 Feb - 22 Mar

Another "walk-on-water" Fitrep. However the high rating must be consider in light of possible external influences as noted below:

This Fitrep refers to a letter from a Mr. Kenneth D. Clements, dated Oct 9, 1967. It is most unusual that a civilian should play a role in the assessment of an officer's fitness. In the WWII Navy, such interference would have very likely raised valid, career-limiting questions of political influence on behalf of the subject officer. The Clements letter was not furnished with the file. Attempts to identify Clements were inconclusive: the only information recovered was that there is/was a psychotherapist with that name in Altadena, CA.

The letter raises the question: What was the basis for the letter, and if it was taken into consideration by the rating officer and figured in the rating, why was the letter not attached to the materials released on the web? Finally, were there other communications received from Clements that are also not displayed in the file?

23 Mar 68 - 20 Jul 68

CAPT W. E. Harper

USS Gridley

Fitrep File Pages 10-11

The Fitrep refers to a letter from another civilian, the Honorable John F. Henning, a Kennedy-Johnson era political appointee (Under Secretary of Labor). Henning is a California Democrat with very strong links to organized labor (AFL-CIO), labor activism in California and to Irish ethnic groups. Henning has no military experience, so the relevance of his comments on the fitness of a junior officer on a destroyer in the Gulf of Tonkin is questionable. His letter also provides possible hints as to the subject's activities while in the Navy in California. There is a legitimate question as to whether contacts with local Democratic politicians would be covered under the rubric of "Public Affairs." Note that the Henning letter, like the Clements letter, was also not included in the web file.

Despite the Henning letter, subject did not receive a "walk-on-water" fitrep during this period. He was marked down in his performance in his assignment on his shiphandling and seamanship, his performance as watch officer, his command potential and his administrative skills. He was recommended for promotion, but significantly, not for promotion ahead of his peers, a sharp contrast with his previous ratings. His leadership ratings were mediocre, far below the Outstanding ratings normally required for accelerated promotion.

25 Aug 68 - ?

Coronado, CA

Fitrep File Page 13, 15

Student

There is another gap in coverage of the subject's Fitreps; this gap extends from 21 Jul 68 to his assignment to Coastal Division 14 (Swiftboats) in Vietnam, 17 Nov 68. During this period, the subject was apparently in Swift Boat training in the Naval Amphib Base, Coronado, CA. Page 1 of Naval Messages shows orders to Coronado, CA and pages 1 to 3 of the Change of Duty file shows his orders to go to Swift Boat School to start August 25, 1968 then on to Cam Ranh Bay, RVN. It is also shown by a 25 Nov 69 message from Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, CA to Chief of Naval Personnel stating that a Fitrep for subject covering 21 Jul 68 to date of detachment (apparently from the Amphib Base) will be sent, noting also that subject's performance under instruction was "satisfactory" i.e. possibly marginal during the period covered. This Fitrep was not included in the file published on the web, although a request for it was sent, noting the report was needed for a promotion board in session at the time 26 Nov 69. The Promotion Board may have selected Kerry for promotion; he was LTJG at the time of the 25 Nov 69 letter and was promoted to LT one day before his release from service. This was a meaningless gesture reminiscent of the earlier "tombstone promotion" practices for higher ranking officers. It is especially meaningless in view of his subsequent association with the Viet Nam Veterans Against the War. The promotion does, however, add to his image.

08 Nov 68 - 06 Dec 68

LCDR G. W. Hibbard

Coastal Division 14

Fitrep File Pages 18-19

Boston Whaler

Subject was marked "Nonobserved" due to the short period provided for observation. Despite the nonobserved overall rating, he was noted for less than outstanding efforts in: industry, personal appearance, cooperation, and military bearing. There is a minor discrepancy in the dates, since the subject reported on 17 Nov but his Fitrep covers the period 08 Nov. Also reference is made to yet another attachment, which is not furnished.

Subject's first Purple Heart was supposedly awarded for wounds sustained on 02 Dec 68, four days before subject's transfer out. In Block 11, no reference is made to these wounds or a recommendation for the award, which was finally granted nearly two months later. More information on Kerry's first Purple Heart is available here.

Two copies of the Block 11 (Narrative) entry for a Fitrep dated 17 Dec 68 and 28 Jan 69 respectively were included on the web but possibly only as "filler" for the web presentation; these identical documents are narrative general descriptions of a Swiftboat commander. They make no reference to subject's performance but state only that he had a demanding job in combat and that his experience will be of value to subject and the USN.

There is no recommendation for promotion.

06 Dec 68 - 13 Dec 68

LCDR G. M. Elliot

Coastal Division 11

Fitrep File Pages 20-21

Officer In Charge - Swift Boat

Subject transferred to COSDIV11 on 14 Dec 68 after less than a month with COSDIV14. Again subject is rated as "Nonobserved." Fitrep is "submitted for continuity." Signed 16 Dec 68. This was NOT a courtesy fitrep to fill in a blank time period. On page 2 there is a 'Yes' notation to 'Has the superior discussed this fitrep with the subject?' (paraphrased). So, Kerry was in COSDIV11 for just a week and made a quick exit. According to Lt T. Wright, PCF skipper with Kerry, the short time period was because Kerry whined so much about being in a 'hot' area, they gave him a transfer out.

This may have been the time period that Kerry was on PCF-44. It is far from the Dec-Jan timeframe his website claims for PCF-44.

14 Dec 68 - 2nd or 3rd week Jan 69

LCDR J. W. Strueli

Coastal Division 13

Cat Lau, RVN

PCF-??

Fitrep File Page 16, 24

&

2nd or 3rd week Jan 69 - 26 Mar 69

LCDR G. M. Elliot

Coastal Division 11

An Thoi, RVN

PCF-94

Fitrep File Pages 14, 22-23, 29

Officer In Charge - Swift Boat

This is a particularly interesting period as there is one whole and one partial Fitrep. Page 24 of the Fitness Reports is first signed 28 Jan 69. It is thought that this is the partial Fitrep. Page 23 is the first page of the complete Fitrep and page 22 is the second.

According to Kerry's website John was transferred to Coastal Division 13 on 13 Dec 68. The dates of his tenure there are so far unknown but probably related to the partial fitrep. It was cosigned by J. W. Strueli, who was Commander of Coastal Division 13 and Elliot, Commander of Coastal Division 11. The dual signature resulted from a requirement that all swift boat commanders be given a fitrep right after the reassignment from COSDIV13 to COSDIV11. Elliot cosigned Strueli's fitrep of Kerry and was done with the requirement. This particular is documented in the Laurel Star (left column near bottom).

The partial Fitrep is missing page 1, so we are unable to determine the period covered, his performance of duties or his desirability. Its earliest start date would have to be 14 Dec 68 and its latest end date would be 28 Jan 69 (signature date). By other sources we know that Kerry took over PCF-94 (COSDIV11) on 29 Jan 69. Also the Zumwalt meeting starting 22 Jan 69 was with COSDIV11, so he was probably in COSDIV13 14 Dec 68 - 21 Jan 69 (at the latest). We know that under Block 20, Kerry's personal characteristics ratings were seriously downgraded in most categories. This is particularly significant as ratings are generally higher for subjects in a combat zone. We can also see that he was not recommended for promotion. If the first page mirrors the subject's ratings from the second, this is an officer in performance trouble.

Finally, Fitrep page 14 shows that the promotion board meeting in Nov 69 was not in possession of this fitrep.

Officer In Charge - Swift Boat

The complete Fitrep is interesting for a couple of reasons. First because it duplicates the time period covered by the partial (see below) and second because it was not written until 8.5 months after the end of duty. Additionally, it is this Fitrep that makes mention of all but one of Kerry's awards. It is a "walk-on-water" review which is quite a contrast to the partial above. Note can also be made that this Fitrep was written after the subject's discharge orders had been cut.

He is also said to have learned Vietnamese. This is remarkable since he entered the country around the first week in November and was gone by the end of March.

The complete Fitrep finally fails to recommend Kerry for promotion.

Other information: Kerry touts his leadership of PCF-44 and PCF-94. Both are documented as being a part of Coastal Division 11. Since Lt T. Wright was the OinC of PCF-44 the entire time Kerry was in COSDIV11 (both times) it is unclear how LTJG Kerry contributed to the war effort in his stated capacity on this boat as OinC, especially when he was in COSDIV13 and the boat was in COSDIV11. (Kerry's claim: December 1968 through January 1969 – Kerry commands PCF-44)

Duplicate Time Period: Fitrep file page 14 is communication stating that a fitrep was required for an ongoing promotion board. They were missing fitreps for 14 Dec 68 - 26 Mar 69. So, they were not in possession of the COSDIV13 fitrep and this may explain the why Elliot produced the overlapping time period. It would also explain Fitrep file page 29.

27 Mar 69 - 31 Jul 69

RADM W. F. Schlech, Jr.

Military Sea Transportation Service, Atlantic

Brooklyn, NY

Fitrep File Pages 25-26

Personal Aide

Subject returned to the US. This Fitrep grades him as "Nonobserved" due to short period of time as Admiral's aide (3 months). Narrative statement by rating officer, RADM Schlech, is however, optimistic about potential. In view of subject's purported expertise and combat experience, an assignment to MSTSA seems to be quite unusual. A position allowing the USN to benefit from subject's experiences in, e.g. Amphib School Coronado or in an OPNAV Chief of Naval Operations billet would seem to have been more appropriate.

01 Aug 69 - 02 Jan 70

RADM W. F. Schlech, Jr

Military Sea Transportation Service Atlantic

Brooklyn, NY

Fitrep File Pages 27-28

Personal Aide

Subject detached at his own request to run for Congress. One day prior to detachment he is promoted to LT (date of rank 1 Jan 70). Again subject gets a near "walk-on-water" Fitrep but is not recommended for accelerated promotion. In addition to many "Nonobserved" ratings from the Admiral (with whom he served daily), he is downgraded in military bearing, industry, force and professional knowledge.

This promotion was probably a result of the Nov 69 promotion board which was not in possession of his COSDIV13 fitrep. It had no affect on his naval career except for him to be able to say he got out as a LT and not a LTJG.