The TV spot slandering John Kerry's Vietnam War service is easily one of the smelliest pieces of propaganda that has ever fouled the American airwaves. But don't take our word.

Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam and Republican public supporter of President Bush, calls it "dishonest and dishonorable." Produced by a major GOP political contributor from Texas, the 30-second attack ad now being aired in scattered markets, including neighboring Ohio and West Virginia, purports to offer critical insights on the Democratic presidential nominee's character from people who served with him.

We will not repeat the charges, because it is obvious they are false. But it is important to note that not one of the people who appear in the ad served directly with Mr. Kerry, only on U.S. Navy Swift boats of the same type as his.

In contrast, the men who actually fought side by side with Mr. Kerry on Mekong River patrol -- nine of whom attended the Democratic National Convention -- have consistently and without reservation testified to his bravery and leadership. They were his Band of Brothers 35 years ago, and they still are today.

Though you won't learn it from the ad, at least one of the critics, George Elliott, was a superior officer of Mr. Kerry's in Vietnam. He wrote a glowing fitness report about Mr. Kerry in December 1969, after the combat events.

Quoted from the actual document, here's what Mr. Elliott said when he had no political ax to grind: "In a combat environment often requiring independent, decisive action LT JG Kerry was unsurpassed. He constantly reviewed tactics and lessons learned in river operations and applied his experience at every opportunity. On one occasion while in tactical command of a three-boat operation his units were taken under fire from ambush. LT JG Kerry rapidly assessed the situation and ordered his units to turn directly into the ambush. This decision resulted in routing the attackers with several enemy KIA [killed in action]."

The report goes on to note that Mr. Kerry "emerges as the acknowledged leader in his peer group," and that he was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts for action during his Vietnam tour.

Now Mr. Elliott says Mr. Kerry "has not been honest about what happened in Vietnam." That only raises the question of whether Mr. Elliott was lying in 1969, when he wasn't involved in partisan politics, or whether he is lying now, to try to tarnish John Kerry.

To disagree about who should be president of the United States is one thing. To spread lies to try to create a false impression of a candidate's bravery makes us wonder if these disaffected Swift boat veterans surrendered their integrity when they came home from Vietnam.