http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42735-2004Feb14.htmlFew Can Offer Confirmation Of Bush's Guard Service
Friends and Acquaintances Lack Firsthand Knowledge
By Manuel Roig-Franzia and Lois Romano
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, February 15, 2004; Page A01
Page A01 in the Washington Post. Not exactly the headline Bush and the Rovians would be looking for, following the release of the "complete" George W. Bush military record...
Excerpts
(emphasis mine):
Trying to quell a growing political storm, President Bush on Friday evening released all his military records to counter Democrats' suggestions that he shirked his duty in the Air National Guard at the height of the Vietnam War.
But the hundreds of pages of documents did little to answer questions about Bush's military history. Why, for example, is there no definitive documentation -- except a single dental exam -- that places Bush at Dannelly Air National Guard Base in 1972-73 and shows how he performed his temporary duty in the Alabama Guard?
<snip>
Only one person has vivid recollections of serving with Bush at Dannelly field. John B. "Bill" Calhoun, 69 -- whose name was provided by a Republican ally of Bush's -- said he saw Bush sign in at the 187th eight to 10 times for about eight hours each from May to October 1972.
But Calhoun remembers seeing Bush at Dannelly at times in mid-1972 when the White House acknowledges Bush was not pulling Guard duty in Alabama yet; his first drills were in October, according to the White House. White House press secretary Scott McClellan on Friday was at a loss to reconcile the discrepancy.
The last paragrpaph and line provide an editorial gem, the final word in a front-page Sunday Washington Post item:
...In the spring of 1973, the younger Bush was accepted to Harvard Business School, quickly finished up his Guard requirements and asked for an early discharge.
The young man finally had a plan.on edit: added final excerpt