One common myth is that Vietnam was a poor man’s war. The demographics of the soldiers were a very close match to that of the country. Many well off people (and I don’t think Kerry was “rich” then) went to war – it was part of one’s duty.

Kerry’s motives are, I think, fairly easy to divine.

His draft board was after him and refused his request to spend a year in France. He joined the Navy, one of the safest services in that war, unless you were an aviator. His first cruise gave him Vietnam credentials (Vietnam Service Ribbon) but no combat and no in-country ribbon (a Green and White thing which I have lost). He heard about the SWIFT boats and operation market time – which was coastal patrol ( we lost a couple of P-3s during that – one to a Mig that snuck out, and one to a wing fire from AAA ). Market time was a combat assignment, one of the few where a JG could command his own vessel, and was pretty safe. It looked like a great deal to Kerry, so he signed up. He returned to Cam Rahn Bay in Dec 1968 and was ready to start Market Time when Adm. Elmo Zumwalt decided to use the Swift boats in aggressive riverine patrol – much more hazardous. By then, it was too late for Kerry to get out of this, so he did the next best thing: he needed 3 purple hearts to get out. He got one on a boston whaler at Cam Rahn, with no enemy around. It was bogus and not awarded until later. When he got into the river world, he ended up in some hot areas, and got a second purple heart from a mine explosion – another slight wound. The third purple heart was also self inflicted (per today’s word from the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth). At that point he left.

It is my understanding that he was in Vietnam a little over four months but on a Swift boat a little over one month.