Thousands might be and exaggeration. I don't know. Many of the vets returned and began to protest the war.

Exact what did Kerry make up? His metals? War Crimes? His visits to Cambodia in 1969? It was war and people shoot first and ask question after. I read the Swift Boater's FAQ and the things they have against him are he made charges after his return against them so now they are making charges against him. Isn't it ironic!

From the FAQ:

John Kerry has been able to convince (editor: or in normal English asked) about 13 men (editor: exactly 13) who served on Swift boats in the Mekong Delta to support him, 7 or 8 of whom were at various times crew members on his own 6-man boat. Those are the men the Kerry campaign so prominently featured at the Democratic Convention. The photograph we have posted at SwiftVets.com shows Kerry with 19 of his fellow Swift boat OICs (Officers In Charge) in Coastal Division 11. Four OICs were not present for the photograph. Only one of his 23 fellow OICs from Coastal Division 11 supports John Kerry. (editor: the way they use the photo is interesting. Dead people and nonpartisan folks are in the anti-Kerry crowd and actual two OICs in the picture support him)
...

Senator Kerry misrepresented his own actions and those of his fellow officers and men. We believe that some of that misrepresentation resulted in him receiving medals to which he was not entitled. (editor: right and his "whole chain of command" is in this group) While many people might think that is immaterial, it is a matter of great importance to military personnel and veterans. As our chairman, Rear Admiral Roy Hoffman, U.S. Navy (Ret.), has said, “This is not a political issue. It is a matter of his judgment, truthfulness, reliability, loyalty and trust -- all absolute tenets of command.” (editor: The same goes for them)

It is a matter of public record that John Kerry lied before Congress when he falsely portrayed his fellow service personnel in Vietnam as rapists and baby killers. (editor: Mi lay massacre and other war crime?) John Kerry claimed that American troops were guilty of “crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command,” and that we “personally raped” and otherwise brutalized innocent civilians. Kerry specifically accused Swift boat personnel of “showing the flag and firing at sampans and villages along the banks” and “butchering a lot of innocent people.” None of that is true. (editor: The Vietnam War Crimes You Never Heard Of)

We believe Senator Kerry’s irresponsible accusations damaged the U.S. war effort. Whether his testimony was designed to advance a political or personal agenda, we do believe that testimony endangered our prisoners of war, dishonored those injured and killed in action and did irreparable harm to the reputation of servicemen who served honorably in Vietnam only to return home to unwarranted ridicule and abuse.(editor: Right who's being absurd now!)

http://swift1.he.net/~swiftvet/index.php?topic=FAQ