Max Cleland: how was he injured?

I know Ann Coulter made up some BS, but I can't remember what it was vs. what the real reason was. If anyone can tell me, that'd be great.

Thanks!

He fell on a grenade to save the soldiers that were present with him.

Not sure that's correct, but that's what I've heard.

TC

what I heard,

a pure fuck up of war.......

when a granade blew up near him. I think.

...is that he was drinking or some such crap.

The truth is in the citation itself.


The congressional citation which came with the medal specifically said that during a "heavy enemy rocket and mortar attack Captain Cleland, disregarding his own safety, exposed himself to the rocket barrage as he left his covered position to administer first aid to his wounded comrades. He then assisted in moving the injured personnel to covered positions."


When the battalion command post came under a heavy enemy rocket and mortar attack, Captain Cleland, disregarding his own safety, exposed himself to the rocket barrage as he left his covered position to administer first aid to his wounded comrades. He then assisted in moving the injured personnel to covered positions.

Continuing to expose himself, Captain Cleland organized his men into a work party to repair the battalion communications equipment, which had been damaged by enemy fire.

His gallant action is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service, and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

http://reed.senate.gov/speeches/cleland02-12-04.htm

Specifically regarding the loss of limbs: Cleland jumped out of a helicopter just when another fellow's grenade fell to the tarmac and the pin came loose. It exploded. He wasn't drunk.

unlike anyone in the Bush administration. He put his life in danger when he went to Vietnam. None of them can say that so what right do they have to judge how he lost three limbs while he was there.

Anorexia Coulter said that Canada fought with us in the Vietnam war as well. She was wrong there as well.

There were Canadians working in this country that got called to duty; however, Canada, the Country, did not support that war no more then they have supported the war in Iraq.

Anorexia Coulter tried to be a model too. Then come to find out the people she was working for were just using her. How embarrassing. OMG.

that is more true than ever. They really have no right to judge Max or Kerry or any veteran.

I think the guy's great personally, and despise Saxby Chambliss for what he did to Max.

was injured when a land mine exploded near him and resulted in the loss of of both his legs and one arm. Coulter is consumed with hatred and has never ever known how to tell the truth.her falsehood is that Max threw himself on a grenade. Max Cleland is a remarkable person.

A complete response to Anthrax:


http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=38238

The American Progressive sets Ms. Coulter in her place nicely.

(Ms. Coulter place, if anybody's wondering, is a remedial compostion class.)

according to Wikipedia:

"While in Vietnam in 1968, Cleland was severely wounded while attempting to pick up a grenade dropped by another soldier. He lost both legs and part of one arm in the accident."

(edited to add URL)
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/02/con04074.html

A BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY
by Christopher Crallé

I wrote last night in response to the column by Ann Coulter. My father, who has close personal ties with Max, has responded to me and I forward his reply.

What follows is the true account of Max Cleland's injury in Vietnam.

-----------------------------

The 2nd of the 12th Cavalry was engaged in a combat operation at the time of this incident. Max Cleland was with the Battalion Forward Command Post in heavy combat involving the attack of the 1st Cavalry Division up the valley to relieve the Marines who were besieged and surrounded at the Khe Shan Firebase. The whole surrounding area was an active combat zone (some might call the entire country of Vietnam a combat zone). (Is Iraq a combat zone?) Max, the Battalion Signal Officer, was engaged in a combat mission I personally ordered to increase the effectiveness of communications between the battalion combat forward and rear support elements: e.g. Erect a radio relay antenna on a mountain top. By the way, at one point the battalion rear elements came under enemy artillery fire so everyone was in harms way.

As they were getting off the helicopter, Max saw the grenade on the ground and he instinctively went for it. Soldiers in combat don't leave grenades lying around on the ground. Later, in the hospital, he said he thought it was his own but I doubt the concept of "ownership" went through his mind in the split seconds involved in reaching for the grenade. Nearly two decades later another soldier came forward and admitted it was actually his grenade. Does ownership of the grenade really matter? It does not.

Maury Cralle'
Battalion Executive Officer
2d/12th Cavalry Battalion
1st Air Cavalry Division
During the assault on Khe Shan

than Ann Coulter will ever do in her liftime....never question a vets' honor...at that point you've disgraced all vets.

He's been in combat too. I'm entitled to this fact. If you don't believe me, you can just SHUTUP!

(sarcasm)

There is no uglier a person on this planet than Ann Coulter. Combine her scivvy, scrawny, scraggled preppy know-it-all outside with her devious, slodgeful, meaningless inside and then project THAT SHIT on TV screens...you have a perfect excuse for televisual pollution at its worst.

If anyone is full of slodge, it's Coulter....

I feel that anyone that pays her for her writing or appearances anywhere is scum.

She is the epitome of televisual pollution.