Military Documents Challenge Kerry Critic

Reporters looking into the background of the Vietnam veteran who claimed John Kerry lied about a key military engagement have discovered that his own metal citation backs up Mr Kerry's version of events.

Larry Thurlow has been a vocal critic of the Democratic presidential candidate, and in an attack ad paid for by supporters of the president, George Bush, he claimed Mr Kerry was not under enemy fire during an engagement for which both men were awarded the bronze star.

Mr Thurlow and Mr Kerry were both navy swift boat captains engaged in the same mission into the Viet Cong-controlled territory on the Mekong Delta on March 13 1969. During the mission, a mine exploded under one of the boats in the flotilla, and a second explosion knocked special forces officer Jim Rassman into the water.

Wounded himself, Mr Kerry reached into the water and pulled Mr Rassman to safety. Both he and Mr Rassman maintain they were under enemy fire during the incident, and to this day Mr Rassman credits Mr Kerry with saving his life.

Mr Thurlow has loudly insisted that he never heard enemy fire during the incident and that Mr Kerry was lying for his political gain. However Mr Thurlow's own bronze star citation, obtained under Freedom of Information legislation by reporters at the Washington Post, stated decisively that he was under enemy fire that day on the river with Mr Kerry.

The citation contains several references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire" directed at "all units" of the five-boat flotilla. It goes on to praise Mr Thurlow for providing assistance to a damaged swift boat "despite enemy bullets flying about him." Today Mr Kerry called on the White House to condemn criticism of his Vietnam War record, and released a television commercial to promote his version of events.

"All those Viet Cong were shooting at me. I expected to be shot. When he pulled me out of the river, he risked his life to save mine," Mr Rassmann says in the 30-second commercial.

The White House has refused to call on backers of the attack ads to stop running them.

In a prepared remark to firefighters today, Mr Kerry said: "More than 30 years ago I learned an important lesson. When you're under attack the best thing to do is turn your boat into the attack. That's what I intend to do today."

Kerry's campaign also arranged to have several members of the navy swift boat crew attend the speech to firefighters.

Mr Thurlow is a leading member of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, an anti-Kerry group of Vietnam veterans. He has described Mr Kerry's bronze star citation as "totally fabricated" saying, "I never heard a shot."

Mr Thurlow, a registered Republican, said he was angry with Mr Kerry for his anti-war activities after his return to the US, especially his claim that US troops committed war crimes with the knowledge of their officers up the chain of command.

Members of Mr Kerry's crew have said the Democrat is telling the truth. Mr Rassmann said he has vivid memories of enemies firing at him from both banks.

Senior Democrats, including some inside the campaign, have urged Mr Kerry to respond to the criticism, largely Republican sponsored, that has been heaped on his Vietnam service since the Democratic nominee showcased his military service during his national convention last month.