out of this one I would NEVER come back to another one. And WaC епету many chances? Why? Why did he shoot me when he had the thank God I did make it out after shoot my white buddies and let me about three or four hours. A com- go? Was it because he knows that pany of men came down to get us the black man has as hard a time hospital. That was the last time 1 I was rescued and transferred to a as he being forced to fight him, and did does? Did he know I was was on a battlefield and it will stay he know that when I got home, 1 To my fellow American Servicemen:
WAR IS HELL As yourself. Why are we fighting in the Nams. Vietnam is having a family problem, between the North and the South. When we had a what Vietnam does.
The Government and military Leaders tell us that the war is for freedom. If the conflict was for our freedom, B52s would not drop more than one- and two-hundred pound bombs, and I wouldn't just carr: an M16 but everything I could get my hands on, and you would too. If, the war was for our freedom! So I say if South Vietnam wants to fight, let them go ahead. If you had a friend that got into a fight with his brother, would you fight his battle? I wouldn't and you're crazy if you would.
Some of you have nothing to do with the war. But I know you have some relatives or buddies that do, that are right now laying in some mud hole or yelling for help. He's a long way off you can't help him but you can bring him home. I know that it is hard to take individual actions. But you can form groups and help the fellows in the Nams: bring them home. And for those of you that are engaged in activity on the battlefields, I would advise you to do 'likewise' and follow me and hundreds of others, and remember it takes guts TO GO but it takes balls to say NO. Anybody can have guts but only a man has balls. the last. would still be fighting a war? Did an end to racism in job training and On boarding the aircraft to Tapan HE know this? I have often wonheart tingled with joy on think- dered! ing was leaving. Vietnam. but better than that! I knew that After being in hospital for 71 days would never return. I had ample time to think what I While in the hospital at Cam Ranh had done and what I had been in. Bay, President Johnson awarded I knew by now that the man I had me the Purole Heart and Bronze once hated, killed his people and Star for my actions in battle. 1 was burned his homes. I could never treated like a real bero, but deep] fight again.
world unite!
ANDY STAPP is a twenty-four-year-old right to refuse orders to go to New Yorker (originally from PhiladelVietnam. phia) who just did two years in the Army. Or, rather, he would have done As if that weren't enough, Stapp went two years, except that three weeks bearound telling his fellow soldiers that fore his time was up they booted him he's a communist (he says he doesn't out for violating AR604-10, which join the Communist Party because deals with 'subversion and disloyalty.
it's a liberal organisation), andThey took Stapp into the Army despite the fact that he burned his draft even they ought to be radicals too. *They worse-convincing them that card at Penn State University in 1965 had to move 15 guys out of one artiland was busted in Washington during lery unit because of political áctivity in June of 1967, he reports. a peace demonstration th: same year.
Probably they didn't expect that once It took them a full field hearing and at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he could do two courts-martial to nail him, much. With the help of a few radical mostly because his buddies wouldn'? New Yorkers who went to Oklahoma testify against him. At his last trial. wild and open affair in which the to join him, Andy organised the Army even brought in HUAC standAmerican Servicemen's Union. He to provide testisays the union "has an unofficial mony on the Red Menace, a parade of Stapp's fellow enlistees testified membership of about two million, that they were Marxists and combecause that's how many guys are be- municte ton and couldn't see anything wrong with what he was doing. ing pushed around in the Army. More But they got him (one item of eviofficially, the union now has organisers dence was a photograph of the conon 10 or 15 Army bases in addition to tante of his footlocker, which they Fort sill. broke into; it included copies of publications by Marx and Lenin, radical periodicals like PL. Challenge, PartiThe union's demands are for a san and Workers World and a couple of copies of Ramparts), and Stapp in minimum wage, enlistees' control now editing ' The Bond, a radical pub of courtsmartial, election of officers. tention for compamanimomen Citv.
job assignment, and the release of What Andv Stapo remembers ber About his Army career is his weddin political prisoners now in the glass- arare Staple, and as before he house (there are at least 100 Army marriage, editor of Partisan). personnel being held for anti-war officer in charge of military intelliAgence at Fort Sill was on hand, and activities). They also demand after the wedding was asked quesrecognition of the right to disobev tions about why it took place. an order unlawful under Nurem- obviouslv"the officer said, political mergerlike a marriage be berg decisions-specifically, the tween a DuPont and a Ford."
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Some of you may label me a coward or some kind of 'ist? Well I'm not any "IST and I'm not a coward. It takes more guts and balls to say no, NO! I've been there ONCE and I had to DESERT to keep from going back and listen to me fellows, I know what it's like.
family problem (the Civil War), Vietnam didn't come and interfere because it wasn't their business. Just like this, it's none of our business