I’m just wondering how many Silver Stars or Bronze Stars or Purple Hearts the retired Lt. Col. James Foster (who so gleefully challenged Sen. John Kerry’s courage and combat record in his March 4 letter to the editor) received for his heroic tour of duties in Vietnam.

I think John Kerry did two tours of duty in Nam, and to a man, the men he served with and for, have rallied around him, regardless of party affiliation. I don’t know if Foster went to Vietnam; if he did, I honor him.

Like our courageous president, I didn’t go. But instead of being stupid-rich and connected, like Dubya, I was just dumb and lucky and won the birthday lottery of 1969 ” a macabre Russian roulette that spun the chambers of unlucky birth dates (the losers went to Vietnam while the rest of us took peyote and skied powder). No matter what you love or hate about George Bush and John Kerry, the truth is this: While the family caddy was kicking in Dubya’s short putts, Sen. Kerry was dragging wounded GIs to safety under enemy fire.