Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Sweet Calendar Girl

Mary Mapes won't be 'lovin' each and every day of the year' 1972, because contrary to her claim to have turned over every rock looking for evidence the six memoes given to her by Bill Burkett were fraudulent:

I was looking for anything that didn’t fit: dates, names, references to rank, and a variety of other factors. I was looking for a stopper, a place where the Killian memos clashed with the official record, something that would indicate to me that the new memos weren’t real.

Such evidence was literally staring her in the face. Such as in this memo, supposedly written on May 19, 1972, by Col Jerry Killian detailing a telephone conversation he'd just had with George W. Bush about his options for doing 'equivalent training' while he was working in Alabama.

Apparently Killian had forgotten about the order he'd supposedly given to Bush in an alleged May 4th memo to take a flight physical no later than May 14th--Mother's Day in 1972, and a week-end on which ANG units did not ever drill according to a retired ANG Colonel of our acquaintance--because not only does Killian not mention anything about that, he allows that Bush could take a physical in Alabama if needed to maintain his flight status.

Further, Killian is saying that he warned Bush he couldn't be transferred without a 'written acceptance' (presumably from a commander in Alabama) in this memo of May 19th.

However, from an indisputably official document that Mapes got from the Texas ANG, Killian writes that: he can't evaluate Bush for the preceding year because, "A civilian occupation made it necessary for him to move to Montgomery, Alabama. He cleared this base on 15 May 1972 and has been performing equivalent training in a non flying status with the 187 Tac Recon Gp, Dannelly ANG Base, Alabama." [emphasis, the FLUBA's]

Which poses two problems of chronology for the CBS memo. One, Bush is gone four days before the supposed telephone conversation took place. Two, Bush 'cleared' the base, i.e. he transferred four days before Killian said he couldn't do so without a 'written acceptance'.

Also, Killian rated Lt Bush on May 26, 1972--a mere week after the CBS memo has Killian writing himself a memo in which he has to remind Bush of his obligations to the ANG--and had nothing but praise for him. From that evaluation you'd find no clue that Killian had any problem with Lt Bush:

Lt Bush is an exceptional fighter interceptor pilot and officer. He eagerly participates in scheduled unit activities.....He makes a welcome addition to any group or team effort....Lt Bush is very active in civic affairs in the community and manifests a deep interest in the operation of our government. He has recently accepted the position as campaign manager for a candidate for United States Senate. He is a good representative of the military and Air National Guard in the business world. His abilities and anticipated future assignments make him a valuable asset.

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