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Military Veterans
Plan Rally to "Redeploy"
Retired Naval Capt. Larry Bailey and former Signalman Mike Bradley, a Vietnam vet, have spent the last couple of days in Johnstown, Pa., the hometown of the Democrat representative, planning a motorcycle rally and talking to the homefolks. 
"We want to redeploy Murtha - to a rocking chair," Bradley said. Murtha is facing reelection this fall. His political campaign is seen as a rallying call for patriotic veterans angry about the congressman's statement against a group of Marines in Iraq. "They [the Marines in Haditha] killed innocent civilians in cold blood," Murtha said in May. Bradley is personally insulted by the remark. His son has served several tours with the Navy in Afghanistan and Iraq, and is in Iraq now. He has volunteered for each tour, Bradley said. Bailey, president of Veterans for the Truth and a retired Navy captain who is the former commanding officer of the Naval Special Warfare Center, said he "could have cared less about what Murtha was doing in Pennsylvania or who was running against him" until the congressman made the "cold blood" statement. "When he said that, he overstepped the line," said the 27-year Naval veteran. A benefactor in Murtha's hometown paid the airfare for Bailey to fly from Kinston, N.C., and Bradley to come from Gainsville, Fla., to scout out the area for the anti-Murtha rally on Oct. 1. The men scheduled a press conference across from Murtha's office on Aug. 2 to talk about the rally. When Murtha's people got wind of the plans, they attempted to organize a counter rally to support the candidate. Murtha's office even called in former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland, the Vietnam veteran amputee who labored unsuccessfully for former presidential candidate John Kerry in the 2004 election, to speak. Murtha's group and Cleland drew about 100 people, including 25 members of the media, Bailey said. The press conference held by Veterans for the Truth and BootMurtha.com drew a far greater crowd who had to be moved a block away from the Murtha group because of the enthusiasm they generated. Murtha did not attend his own event. "Murtha thinks that's a rally," Bailey said. "Come back October 1, and I'll show you a rally." Bradley and Bailey say as many as 2,000 veterans could turn out at this town's Central Park. The main speaker is expected to be John O'Neil, a former Navy officer who served during the Vietnam War. O'Neil was part of the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," a group that was an active campaigner against Kerry during his failed 2004 presidential bid. The rally is to demonstrate solidarity with veterans of Murtha's district who take exception to the congressman's attempt at making policy by attacking personnel in the combat zone, Bailey said. "We're expecting guys to come from Florida - from every place, from all over country," Bailey said. "Rolling Thunder will have a contingent for security and be part of the ride. People can start from wherever they want to start and end up in Central Park. Two thousand people would really fill up that small park." Rolling Thunder is one of the largest motorcycle groups in the world. Its members are mostly veterans who rally in Washington every Memorial Day to pay tribute to their fallen compatriots. "Murtha is taking Kerry's playbook from Vietnam and trying to use it to turn public opinion against Iraq vets," Bradley said. "We want to accomplish awareness of Murtha's stance and we hope it will lead to Murtha being unseated. We would really like to retire Murtha. We're going to help redeploy Murtha." |
