PRESTOPUNDIT -- "It's a team sport, baby!"

DID SILVER STAR "EYEWITNESS" DAVID ALSTON even serve with John Kerry? It doesn't look like it -- at least not when it matters for the purpose of backing up Kerry's Silver Star story. Captain Ed has a timeline. Note also attempts by Kerry/Edwards to take credit for combat operations by a Swift Boat not under Lt. Kerry's command.

More in David Alston and inconsistencies in his story here.

There is a more complete Kerry timeline here with a complete cast of characters. (Thanks to reader Bill Modahl.)

Bryron York has much more on Alston and his -- 7 days? -- of service with John Kerry. Quotable:

[John] Hurley [of the Kerry campaign] confirmed that Alston was not on board PCF-94 on February 28, 1969, the day Kerry earned a Silver Star for an engagement in which he beached his Swift Boat and chased down and killed a Viet Cong guerilla armed with a rocket launcher ..

According to Hurley, Alston was on board PCF-94 during the now-famous March 13, 1969 engagement in which Kerry pulled Army Green Beret Jim Rassman from the water after one of the boats in Kerry's group struck a mine. Kerry won a Bronze Star for that action, as well as a third Purple Heart.

UPDATE: Captain Ed has important addisiont to the Alston story here and here.

Powerline has new analysis here.

UPDATE II: The Bandit, a frequent poster on the Swift Vet discussion board, challenges the newest account Alston have given Byron York of his still to be confirmed service with John Kerry. Posted by Greg Ransom | TrackBack