Senator Robert Byrd,
I am a Retired, U. S. Navy, Chief Warrant Officer, W-4, who served Honorably on active duty for thirty-two years, from 1955 to 1987. I challenge your public criticizing and slandering our Commander-in- Chief and his visit to a major Iraqi War participant, the USS Abraham Lincoln, CVN-72, May 2-3, 2003.
The President's visit to that fine ship was a representative symbol of our Nation's "hand shake, well done, and welcome home" salutation to every member of our armed forces who served, and continues to serve, in the Middle East War, not just for personnel of the Abraham Lincoln!
I was aboard a ship off Onslow Beach, North Carolina, when President John F. Kennedy paid us a visit during a major Joint Task Force military exercise in the spring of 1962. There was much elation and joy throughout the entire fleet of some 40 ships participating in that exercise; everyone was grateful and thankful that OUR Commander in Chief thought enough of what we were doing to come witness one of the largest and most complex joint exercises ever conducted by our military.
That visit by President Kennedy is not one bit different from the visit of President Bush to the USS Abraham Lincoln last week. Later, in October 1962, I was serving aboard the Navy's first nuclear powered Aircraft Carrier, the USS Enterprise, CVAN-65, which was a part of the activated Joint Task Force, while U. S. Marines from Camp LeJeune were again backloading on amphibious ships at Onslow Beach; we were preparing for an invasion of Cuba. I remembered President Kennedy's visit there the previous spring and the significance of his visit and concern for what we were about to do, if necessary.
I watched your diatribe on the floor of the U. S. Senate yesterday, May 6, 2003. I initially hesitated to correspond with you because of heartfelt,intense disgust with your denigration of our President, and commensurately, our military forces. After much thought, I consider your conduct on the Senate floor abhorring and shameful, and deserving of any criticisms directed your way by any veteran or member of our armed forces. Your party leadership position on the Senate Armed Services Committee is dubious. Your conduct on that committee is now tainted because your defamation of our Commander in Chief will be considered in all your committee decisions and will be viewed by our military forces as being guided by a purely partisan, edifying, and self serving agenda, rather than that which is best for our military.
I believe that you owe an apology to President Bush and to every crew member of the USS Abraham Lincoln because your tirade on the Senate Floor on May 6,2003, did much to malign the faith of many members of this Nation's military forces in our government. Our military's conduct in this crisis has been gallant, heroic, and exemplary and deserves the highest praise and respect.
Your degradation of our Commander-in-Chief certainly does not show any praise or respect, but sadly places your partisan agenda at a higher level.
Many of my Navy and civilian friends and relatives have corresponded with me about your conduct on the Senate floor yesterday and have voiced great displeasure with your obvious pure, personal partisanship. I am being ridiculed and shamed by them because you are my representative in the Senate. I have lost much respect for you as an individual because your conduct does not reflect the dignity of your constituency, especially those of veterans and the armed forces. You have certainly made a lasting impression on many of my Navy associates and civilian friends, and relatives, especially those who do not live in our state.
I am ashamed of your representation on my behalf. Your actions demonstrate a personal, blatant, and obvious HATE for our President. Your partisanship has been fomenting since President Bush was ELECTED to office and your conduct in the Senate and public statements of defiance about every thing he has attempted to do for the past two plus years is nothing short of shameful.
Be assured that I will work feverishly to end your tenure in the U.S. Senate and to elect a more deserving representative to the office you presently hold.
Sincerely,
James H.. Wright
CWO4, U. S. Navy Retired
Huntington, WV