American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

January 29, 1970

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

' ;rr> ICAN SERVICEMANS UNION ORGANIZER ACTS AS HIS OWN LAWYER AGAINST AWOL CHARGES.

Private Mitch Smith, American Servicemans Union field oraanizer stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina is going on trial Friday, Jan. 30 for being AWOL.

Pvt. Smith, who rill be acting as his own attorney denies being AWOL. He stated that he left Ft. Jackson in early November to participate in the November Moratorium in full accordance with the ool icy of the American Servicemans Union to organize Gl 's in Washington against the Vietnam " r. At a meeting of the National Conference of GI Rights! Pvt. Smith told the anti-war Gl 's of their rights to refuse to obey unjust and illenal orders. Further .Smith stated that the Vietnam War is an imperialist war and "Guys are not worried about the Constitution when they realize they may be dead for a cause in which they don't believe." (New York Times, November 14-, 1969)

Pvt. Smith in defendinn himself before a military tribunal vil 1 nuestion the authority of the brass to rule on his participation in American Servicemans Union affairs and his anti-war activities in Hashington.

Smith v/ill also raise on behalf of the ASU at his trial the illegality of the Vietnam War and the U*S. nenocidal policy against the Vietnamese people as exemplified by the My Lai atrocities. Finally Smith will out the military on trial for the racism of the brass and their system of oppressing the rights of Black and Puerto Rican GI's.

Private Smith will be accompanied by Rob Lcmay, Executive Director of the ASU, and Maryanne Weissman, Legal Director of the ASU."

THE B ^# IM Iß The Servicemen's Newspaper American Servicemen's Union Andrew stopp, chairman Ï5S Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780 January 29, 1970 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE verdict guiltyl

January 21 — GIs from Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base held a trial of the brass and its war in Vietnam before an audience of 1,500 at the University of Washington tonight. A jury of twelve active-duty soldiers found the military "guilty" on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of soldiers' rights. Fifteen GI witnesses, most of whom had been in Vietnam, told of observing atrocities like the massacre at My Lai. They also spoke of the full support given the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam by the peasants. Ninety per cent of the GIs who participated in the trial are members of the American Servicemen's Union, as were nearly all the 100 soldiers and airmen in the audience. The men had come to the trial despite attempts at intimidation by the brass. The trial was organized by the Shelter Half coffee house in Tacoma in cooperation with students at the University of Washington in Seattle. One of the soldiers to testify, Dennis Leonard, is an American Indian who participated in the Indian occupation of Alcatraz Island. He told how he had entered the Army "ready to do anything," but refused to go to Vietnam after seeing Army training films glorifying the Indian wars. "America grew on genocide, he told the jury, and des­ cribed how he realized that the Vietnamese were being treated in the same way as the Indians. Leonard explained that after refusing to go to Vietnam, he was sentenced to six months in the Presidio stockade, where he was beaten by the guards. Leonard has been an active ASU organizer at Fort Lewis, signing up his whole platoon in the union. Another ASU member, Tyrone Riddle, told how the black GIs are getting together and standing up to the brass. Re­ ferring to a meeting of the brothers that had been broken up by the brass. Riddle got tremendous applause when he quoted the Panther slogan, "You can jail a revolutionary but you can't jail the revolution." A tape recording made by Pvt. Wade Carson, who had been put on restriction to keep him from attending the trial, was played. He had been very active in organizing the large number of^ GI participants in the trial. Carson has since been charged with Article 134 — attempting to cause disaffection—and held in the stockade for distributing The Bond and Fed-Up, the respective newspapers of the national office and the local chapter of the ASU. All the soldiers testifying stressed their sympathy for the Vietnamese people and the National Liberation Front. One Vietnam vet told of having witnessed elections for the Provisional Revolutionary Government (PRG). Seeing how the NLF carried out its tax collection and elections con-

THE

OND The Servicemen's Newspaper vinced him that they had the full support of the people. The high point of the trial came when a young man with a beard came up to the stage from the audience surrounded by a defense guard of 25 ASU members. He was asked his name. '''Bruce McLean." Affiliation? "U.S. Army." Status? He raised a clenched fist and said, "I am AWOL." The audience went wild and cheered and clapped for five minutes. When things had died down, McLean explained why he had gone AWOL. Because of his opposition to the Vietnam war, he had applied for conscientious objector status. According to military law, he could not be transferred while a decision on his CO appeal was pending. But the army tried to shanghai him anyway. In the middle of the night he was awakened, told he was being transferred and taken to the airport. When he found out that he was being sent to Vietnam, Bruce locked himself in an airport bathroom and escaped out the back window. Bruce McLean ended his testimony by declaring, "I support the NLF!" Then, while the crowd was wildly cheering, he was whisked off the stage by his "military ' escort" and driven away before the many Army Intelli­ gence pigs in the audience could do a thing. Bruce's story was corroborated by another witness, Don Sherman, who worked in the Overseas Replacement Center. He told how , the Army had cut illegal orders to send Bruce McLean to Vietnam. A veteran of Hamburger Hill described how the Marines had had their own "truce" with the NLF. There just wasn't any shooting going on. When one gung-ho lieutenant tried to get the men into combat, the Marines put a price on his head, and the brass had to transfer him to another company. A psychiatrist who had been with the Green Berets in Vietnam, Dr. Peter Bourne, reported that the My Lai massacre was not an isolated atrocity. He had talked to many soldiers who had witnessed or participated in similar slaughters. He had reported some of these crimes himself, but the Army did nothing. In one case, he was told, "We can't do anything because the Major is getting the Silver Star." Among civilian witnesses at the trial were Fred Gardner of the GI coffee houses and a union representative from the grape strike who accused the Army of strikebreaking (the Defense Department now buys five times more grapes than before the strike). Terry Cannon of the Oakland Seven acted as prosecutor. The brass were dealt a final blow by John Lewis, Na­ tional Field Organizer of the ASU. Lewis went into the class nature of the brass, the "businessmen in uniform" who send young workers to die in defense of the profits of U.S. imperialism. The NLF is fighting the U.S. ruling class, he emphasized, which is the GI's enemy too. Lewis read a statement from a black GI who deserted in Vietnam to fight with the NLF. After elaborating on the Union's demands, the ASU or­ ganizer pledged that union brothers will never go into the ghettos to kill their class brothers or into the factories to break strikes. The jury of twelve servicemen needed little time to reach their verdict of "guilty" on all counts. And they didn't equivocate on the sentence either. The GIs sentenced the Army to death. They they went back to their bases to organize their buddies and carry out the sentence. American Servicemen's Union Andrew stopp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ASU MEMBER DEFENDS SELF; RECEIVES TWO MONTH SENTENCE FOR AWOL

Ft. Jackson, S.C. Friday, Jan. 30. Today .Mitchell

Smith was found guilty of AWOL and sentenced to two months confinement at hard labor, an $80 fine for four months j and reduction in rank to Pvt.

E-l. The charge arose out of Pvt. Smiths attendance of the November 15 anti-war demonstration in Washington, D.C. and other activities Pvt. Smith performed whiLe carrying out his duties as an American Servicemen's

Union organizer.

Pvt. Smith acted as his own defense counsel. He said he did this so that he could "bring out the political reasons for his actions in the clearest fashion. "

Pvt. Smith faced a panel of two 1st Lieutenants, two Captains, and one Lieut. Colonel. During the voir dire, Pvt. Smith asked these kind of questions of the board to determine suitability as judges :

"Would you be prejudiced against an enlisted man who be­ lieved that he shouldn't sir and salute officers? Would you be prejudiced against a soldier who believed that the war in Vietnam was an illegal,

Imperialist war and who intended to refuse to fight in it? Who believed that troops should refuse to enter the Black and Spanish-speaking com­ munity, should refuse to suppress striking workers?" The Lieutenant

Colonel was removed from the board on a peremptory challenge by the

(cont. ) THE B \J mm mW The Servicemen's Newspaper defense.

Pvt. Smith tried to prove entrapment, that is, that he was purposely denied leave to prevent his attending the demonstration in

Washington. Under cross-examination by Pvt. Smith, Lt. Few, Smith's

Company Commander, admitted that the knowledge that Pvt. Smith planned to go to Washington entered into his decision to deny leave.

After he was found guilty, Pvt. Smith stated during mitigation that "ordinarily it is brought up as a positive fact that the person returned

(from AWOL). I'd be less than honest if I said I returned to military control and discipline. What I returned to was to continue my work as an

ASU organizer which I had been conducting off base, that is to build that kind of organization which can stop the illegal war in Vietnam, the war that every enlisted man I know is opposed to, and to fight the racism which is so prevalent in the Army. "

Assisting Pvt. Smith in his defense was Maryann Weissman,

Legal Director of the ASU. Also present was the ASU's Executive

Director, Bob Lemay, six EMs from Ft. Jackson who came to support

Smith along with a dozen civilians from Columbia, S.C.

-30- A-merican Servicemen's Union Andrew stopp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

In the Ft. Lewis area (206) GR5-9875 (Shelter-Half)

Fer Immediate Release:

. ASU MEMBER SHANG-HAIED TO VIETNAM: PROTEST PLANNED AT FT. LEWIS

New York, N.Y., Feb.'26 — On Feb. 19 at Ua.m., in the dark of night,

American Servicemen's Union organizer Pvt. Bruce Maclean was forced onto a

plane by the Army and sent to Vietnam against his will. Pvt. MacLean arrived

at Cam Ranh Bay the f>llwing morning. Following the shang-hai the ASU prompt­

ly initiated legal action to have him brought back.

This Saturday, Feb. 28, a demonstration will be held with a march on Ft.

Lewis, Washington to protest the Vietnam war and the repression against ac­

tive members of the Ft. Lewis American Servicemen's Unirn.

Pvt. MacLean was one of the organizers of the Oct. 20 meeting of the ASU

at the Cascadian Service Club at Ft. Lewis at which he and 3k other ASU mem­

bers were arrested; he was also one of the key witnesses at tho Jan. 21 People's

Trial of the Army held before 15>00 people at the University of Washington.

At this trial, MacLean, then AWOL, declared his support for the National

Liberation Front rf Sruth Vietnam. He was defended while testifying by a guard

of 25 ASU members.

This Saturday's demonstration was initiated by the Seattle Liberation

Front and is being supported by the Shelter-Half Coffee House, the Ft. Lewis

ASU, and other local groups.

Brb Lemay, ASU Executive Director, said, "We give full support to this

demenstration against the increasing repression of ASU organizers. The People's

Trial sentenced the Array to death. We intend to carry this sentence out, even

in the face of such union busting actions as the brass' shang-haiing of Brother

MacLean. THE B V^ ÏN1 mß The Servicemen's Newspaper American Servicemen's Union Andrew stopp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

In the Ft. Lewis area (206) GR5-9875 GR5-9515

For Immediate Release:

300 RALLY IN PROTEST OVER SHANG- KAIED ASU MEMBER

New York, N.Y., Mar. 3 —- On February 28, 300 people

rallied to' the defense of Bruce McLean, an ASU member and organizer

shang-hied to Vietnam last week. The rally was held at American Park, just off Ft. Lewis-, Speakers at the rally were Denny Leonard and Stan

Hoffman, both members of the Ft. Lewis local of the ASU. They called for the military to immediately return Pvt. McLean from Vietnam, where he was taken illegally. Rally was organized by Seattle Liberation Front and- ASU-Shelter-Half.

After the rally there was a march through Tillicum area, an off- base housing area for enlisted men. The march proceeded to a gate of Ft.

Lewis and was stopped by a ^rhe of MPs,. Then a "reactionary force" (riot

control troops) were brought in as the group of marchers were leaving the

area.

John Lewis, National Field Organizer of the ASU, said, "We pro­ test the illegal shang-haing of our Union brother, Bruce McLean. We of the

^SU are determined to stop this kind of abuse of our organizers. The pro­ test of the brothers and sisters at Ft. Lewis will not be the last voice of protest. We intend to spread this protest wherever ASU members are org­ anizing. We demand the immediate release of Bruce McLean and all GI pol­ itical prisonerTHE s of war. " B OND The Servicemen's Newspaper American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

1500 STUDENTS HE JAR AMERICAN SERVICEMEN'S UNION SPEAKERS AT UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO — STUDENTS BATTLE COPS ON CAMPUS — PENTAGON RESEARCH PROJECT TORN X30WN

NEW YORK, N.Y., March 13 — American Service­ men's Union speakers addressed on Thursday, March 12, a packed house of students at the State University at Buffalo, New York, while hundreds of cops patrolled inside the Campus.

The meeting was organized by the UB Chapter of Youth Against War and Fascism and the UB Strike Committee that had successfully organized a campus strike and fought the cops on the University grounds» 1500 students in Haas Lounge and a sprinkling of ex-GIs heard three ASU members call for the smashing of ROTC and the end of the Pentagon brass influence on campus.

Ed Rader, ASU Northwest Field Organizer, who had been one of the prime organizers of the People's Trial of the Brass at the University of Washington, Seattle, in which a jury of ASU members convicted the Brass and sentenced them to death, told the students,

"Over 50 percent of the new officers come from ROTC, and this brainwashed brass that comes down on the GIs 24 hours a day begins right here. The ASU supports the struggle to smash this and other Pentagon operations on your campus. Right on."

Other ASU speakers spoke briefly about racism and repression and the case of Mitch Smith, ASU organizer and ex-UB student, who is in the stockade at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. The meeting ended with a call by the Strike Committee for a war council at the University gym which was surrounded by the cops. A 2 1/2 hour battle broke out as students tried to drive over 300 cops from their campus. Eleven students were arrested and 33 injured, 17 of them cops. In the course of the battle, the construction site called Themis, a Pentagon project at the University, was torn down.

-30-

THE B ^# IM O The Servicemen's Newspaper American Servicemen's Union Andrew stopp, chairman r 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

For immediate release:

Monday, Junel, Trenton, NiJ*— Today Tom Doyle, a

ilarine reservist and an American Servicemen's Union organizer, was charged with assault on a federal officer. The charge grew out of Doyle's distribution of the Bond, the ASU

newspaper, at Ft. Dix. Seventy-five supporters came to the Federal Court House here with

Tom. Most were Prinston students and ex-GIs from the ASU national office in New York.

The charge arises from a distribution held at Ft. Dix

on Sunday, April 12. On that day 12 ASU supporters were arrested while handing out the

Bond, the ASU national newspaper, to GIs on base. Ten were given bar notices, but Tom

Doyle and Glenn Castro, a Princeton student, were held and charged the next day with dis­

orderly conduct. Charges against Castro were later dropped, but Doyle was reindicted on

the more serious charge which carries a possible 4-7 year sentence.

ASU spokesmen say Tom Doyle had merely demanded his

constitutional right to phone for legal aid while he was being held in the MP station at

Ft. Dix. The MPs refused to let him make the call and instead beat him and shoved him around John Lewis, ASU national feild organizer, said "the

MPs charged Tom both to cover their own brutality and to prevent the distribution of our

paper at Ft. Dix. We won't let the military brass get away with this frame-up of Tom,

nor will their harrassment stop us from reaching our fellow GIs with the ASU message." -30-

THE B Vlllr The Servicemen's Newspaper AMERICAN SERVICEMEN'S UNION 156 Fifth Ave.., New York, N.Y. 10010 (212) 675-6780

For Immediate Release:

MARINE BRASS AT IWAKUNI, JAPAN TRANSFER ASU ORGANIZERS

» June 9, 1970. Today the American Servicemen's

Union New York office learned of the transfers of 5 ASU organizers from Iwakuni

Marine Corps Air Station to bases all over the world. ASU spolesmen say this is an attempt to disrupt the union group at Iwakuni and to stop the publication of the anti-ivar paper, Semper-Fi.

The following transfers took place: Cpl. Bob

Dorton to Camp Pendleton, Calif.; Cpl. Dave Gillett to Okinawa; Cpl. Lonnie

Renner to MCAS Cherry Point, N.C.; Pvt. Denny Hahn to MCAS Beaufort, S.C.; and

Cpl. George Bacon to Vietnam. Bacon, Hahn and Gillett had been arrested on May

16 along with other marings for wearing black armbands to protest the Indochina war and the killings of students in the U.S.

cpl. Renner started publishing Semper Fi in

January, 1970. A half-dozen issues appeared, arousing response in the official marine paper at Iwakuni, Torii Teller. Semper Fi combined muckraking with political discussion and organizing appeals.

When Renner and Hahn were transferred out on

June 2, twenty GIs assembled at the air terminal to see them off in a show of solidarity. This was done, according to ASU organizer George Bacon, "even though there were only two hours notice. There were raised fists, peace signs and

°uts 0f 'Right On* » as Lon and Denny appeared with several pigs in tow." Bacon was calèed into Military Intelligense the next day, hwere he refused to talk (taking Article 31). He was told by Special Agent Powers to expect an "Iwakuni Special", referring to these sudden transfers. At 4PM he was tèld he'd be on a plane to Okinawa and then to Vietnam at 5:30 PM. Twenty-five brothers and sisters got to the terminal to see him off. According to the Iwakuni organizers, "Semper Fi_will continue to be published, and the ASU chapter will continue to function." ASU National Field Organizer John Lewis said "the ASU will do everything possible to reverse these punitive transfers and to see that organizing work goes on wherever the men are sent." 30 AMERICAN SERVICH'FFI'S UÏÎIOf! Andrew Stann, Chairnan

156 Fifth Ave., Rn. 538 Hew Yorkj H.Y. 10010 212-675-6780

FOR rnrniATE RELEASE: RERELLIONIIIt: Marine Corns Air Station, Iwakuni, Janan NEW YOPK, N.Y., July 18, ln70 <— On July A the nrisoners confined in the

Marine brin at. the Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan rebelled and occupied a

section of the brin for- 14 hours before aimed Marine nuards broke the rebellion with

repressive force. The Associated RressCAP) reoorted in the Janan Tines said that

$2,000 or $3,000 worth of daman? was •''one by the rebel!inn prisoners, but accordinn to

a contact of the ASU the damaqe done was much more extensive than that.

nne nrisoner was injured accordinn to the AP when he "accidentallv cut

himself on a noice of furniture."

The reason for the rebellion was that the nen were held in the brin, in pre­

trial confinement, for as lonn as six weeks without trial for the offense they were

confined for in the first place, nther nreviences were undue harassmnet by the brio

Brass and nuards and bad nrison conditions. There were 32 prisoners in the brin, all

farines with one sailor.

Finht of the prisoner, the Iwakuni 3, have been framed-up by the Brass as scime-rroats and are to be tried for leadinn the rebellion. These eioht nen are bein" held in the Yokohama Brin, in solitary confinement, in another part of Japan for courts- martial on so-called, riot chames.

The Mainichi Shimbuu, a Japanese daily newsnanor, reported on July 6 that "the

'riot' on the base reflects the prowtb of the movement aoainst the war amonn 01s, and

also the growlno tension caused by the oppressive Brass. There are some 350 anti-war

arines on the base."

John Lewis, the national Feild fVoanizer of the American Servicemen's union said today, "the ASU supports tho just rebellion by oppressed GIs anainst the Prass. There have been several rebellions in military prisons all over the world, includinq "ietnam. The ASM is emanizinn to spread those rebellions from the stockades and briqs to the barracks, the ships and finally to the battlefeild in order to stop the imperialist exspanion of the United States Government and their pickets, the Prass."

— 30 — ft-7- 70

AMERICA!] SERVICER'S UNIOî! Andrew Stapp, Chairman

156 cifth Ave., Rn. 538 Hew York, Ü.Y. 10010 212-675-6780

FOP. I71FDIATE RELEASE:

REBELLION H it: Marine Corns Air Station, Iwakuni, Janan

HE1.-! YORK, N,Y.,vJuly 18, ln70 — On July 4 the prisoners confined in the

Marine brin at the Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Janan rebelled and occupied a

section of the brin for 14 hours before armed Marine ouards broke the rebellion with

repressive force. The Associated Rress(AR) renorted in the Janan Tines said that.

$2,000 or $3,000 worth of damane was done by the rebel!inn prisoners, but accordinn to

a contact of the ASU the damane done was much more extensive than that.

nne Prisoner was injured accordinn to the AP when he "accidentallv cut

himself on a peice of furniture."

The reason for the rebellion was that the men were held in the brin, in pre­

trial confinement, for as lonn as six weeks without trial for the offense they were

confined for in the first place. r>ther nreviences were undue harassmnet by the brin

Brass and nuards and bad prison conditions. There were 32 prisoners in the brin, all

Marines with one sailor.

Fipht of the prisoner, the Iwakuni 3, have been framed-uo by the Brass as

scane-noats and are to be tried for leadinn the rebellion. These einht men are bein"

!,eld in the Yokohama Brin, in solitary confinement, in another part of Japan for courts- martial on so-called riot charnes.

The Mainichi Shimbuu, a Japanese daily npwsoanor, reported on July 6 that "the

'riot' on the base reflects the nrowth of the movement aoainst the war amonn GIs, and

also the nrowinn tension caused by the oppressive Brass. There are some 350 anti-war

arines on the base."

John Lewis, the rational Feild rTnanizer of the American Servicemen's Union

said today, "the ASU supports the just rebellion by oppressed GIs anainst the Brass.

There have been several rebellions in military prisons all over the world, includinq

uietnam. The ASU is emanizinn to spread those rebellions from the stockades and brios

to the barracks, the shins and finally to the battlefeild in order to stop the

imperialist exsnanlon of the United States Government and their »m^nets, the Brass." American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REBELLION IN SPECIAL PROCESSING BATTALION AT FORT DIX, N.J.: RACIAL lENSiML.ÜP1_!*âCISil:i August 1, 1970,, New York, N.Y. — The national office of the American

Servicemen's Union has been informed by its members in the Special Processing Bat­

talion (SPB), Ft. Dix that 21 Afro-American GIs have been charged with assault on

5 white soldiers in SPB.

Thé 21 black soldiers have been confined to the stockade at Ft. Dix and

avait General Courts-Martial. And they have already been found guilty. Capt.

BcCarthy, Commander of A Company, SPB said to a formation of SPB personnel on Wed­

nesday, July 29, "these people (referring to the 21) are going to the stockade, they

have been charged with assault and they will get two to eight years. The Commanding

General has plans, if necessary, to alert the entire post to control SPB. Riot

control MPs stationed at Ft. Meade, Md. have'been on alert for a week."

The SPB is a unit of eight or nine hundred lower ranking enlisted men

that have gone AWOL in opposition to the Vietnam war and the militarism of the U.S.

Army and have been dropped from their original units and assigned to SPB. Since its

formation as a unit, SPB has been a center and source of dissent on the base. In

SPB there are many hundred of anti-war and anti-military GIs, the majority being

black and Puerto Rican.

John Lewis, who was assigned to SPB for over a year and is now the

National Field Organizer of the ASU, said today, "The ASU condemns the actions of

the racist Brass in SPB, and demands the immediate release of our 21 black brothers.

The ASU will do everything in its power to aid the 21 Afro-American GIs who have

been framed-up in SPB. Down with the racist Brass!"

(Attached is ) (An eyewitness account of the ) •piirj (rebellion, by an ASU spokesman.)

B OND The Servicemen's Newspaper EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE SPB REBELLION . by an ASU member Special Processing Battalion(SPB), Ft. Dix is a unit of some 8 or 9 hundred lower

ranking enlisted men-that have gone AWOL. and have been dropped from the roles of their

orginal unit and assigned to SPB. Since its beginning as a unit, SPB has been a center

and source of dissent on the base at Ft. Dix. For over two years members and organizers

of the American Servicemen's Union have been organizing in SPB among the anti-war and

anti-military GIs. This release is an eyewitness account by ASU spokesmen from that

unit on the latest repression of the resistance movement in SPB. This repression has

taken the form of blatant racism against the Afro-American and Puerto Rican GIs assigned

to SPB .. :, • •••

As of this release 21 black GIs have been charged with assault on white GIs in

the unit. These charges are frame-ups of the worse kind. The brass that run SPB and

Ft. Dix are trying to break up the resistance movement on the base by using racism to

^vide the GIs. Divide and conquer. These racist attempts will not work because

^embers of the ASU have been organizing in the unit and are showing the white GIs what

racism has alw'ays-been a tool of the Brass to divide our movement.

The chain of events over the past 10 days has been a long and horrowing one for .-total the men in SPB. Gestapo tactics have been used against these men, such as/restriction °f all personnel of the unit to the barracks under armed guard. These men have been

charged with nothing and are being deprived of every right they have under the constit­ ution. The guards are issued orders to shoot to kill any of the personnel of SPB that may try to break restriction. One man, Pvt. E-l William McClendon has been charged with

Article 134 under the(UCMJ)Uniform Code of Military Justice for breaking restriction and he facesa Special Courts-Martial with a maximum penalty of 6 months confinement at hard

labor. This is only one of many such cases.

The Chain of Events: •••'"

°n Wednesday, July 22, an Afro-American GI was arrested and charged with assault

on a basic trainee of the 6th Training Btn. near SPB. The trainee w-as not present to identify the Afro-American soldier. The black GI was arrested around 8:00 am and was locked up in "the cage", a large enclosGure walled with steel mesh, in the Operations

Section of SPB until the following morning, July 23. He was given no bedding and his

.meals were brought to him by armed guards. He was not allowed to see a lawyer and formally he wasn't/charged with anything.

In a conversation overheard on the telephone by an ASU member in SPB between Lt.

Carmicheal, Confinement Officer for SPB, and Lt. Col. Friedman, Post Stockade Commander,

Lt. Col. Friedman said, "I want all pre-trial confinement prisoners to stay in.SPB, o

2. there is no room for any more prisoners in the stockade." Lt. Carmichael said, "no, something is going tp happen here in SPB. We can't keep these people here,

a riot may break out." This conversation took place on Tuesday, July 21. .?

Lt. Carmichael knew what was going to happen. He knew that the man

that had been put in the..çâge had a lot of friends. And he knew that the charges

on the man were frame-up charges. The Afro-American soldier wa-s a Leader among

the black GIs in SP/B. And it is extremely unusual, even for SPB, that a man

would remain in the cage all of one day and a night.

Wednesday night, 10:00 PM, July 22, leaders of the black-GIs and the :.

Puerto Rican GIs in SPB came around to the five barracks of SPB and told the

blacks and Puerto Ricans that a meeting was being held outside about the fact

that a brother was locked up in the cage unjustly.

The racist Brass in SPB said later that the meeting that took place

with over 250 black and Puerto Rican GIs present was called to "get together to

break windows and lights." The avowed purpose of the meeting was to free their

brother locked up in that cage.

To prove that the confinement of the black soldier was a provocation,

while the meeting was.going on seven carloads of MPs pull their cars up in front

of SPB Operations. Also, there was a truck load of 30 MPs dressed in riot contrai

gear in the area. : ..., ,.. • ' A confrontation developed between black arid Puerto Rican GIs and the

MPs. After about 15 minutes the men returned to the barracks and resumed the. meeting. It was planned in the meeting that instead of falling into the regular; morning formation, the next morning they would lead their own formation behind

the regular one.

The next morning the black GIs followed through-on this and held their

formation in protest of the open racism in SPB.

First SGT. Mahan told all the Puerto Ricans in formation to fall out and form up in front of the regular formation, which was now all white. Several

of the anti-racist white GIs started chanting and yelling at the Sergeants and

Brass. Mahan ordered the platoon Sergeants to get the white GIs out on details

immediately. The white GIs were loaded onto trucks under guard and taken to

details on the base.

Before this, First SGT. Mahan read off the names of 5 Afro-American

soldiers. The five men were taken to Lt. Carmich.aels' office and charged with assault. They were charged with beating up an informer. At this time some sixty black GIs went to see Col. Bitwell, ex-CO of: > SPB, just relieved by Col. Cook, to see what the Colonel would do about freeing their black brother. The Colonel said that W wouldn't release him. The Afro-

American soldiers walked out of his office enmasse in protest.

On Thursday, the 23rd, all personnel of SPB were restricted to the barracks. Armed guards were put in front of all the SPB buildings. Guards, with

12-guage riot shotguns patrolled the area around SPB, Lt. Carmichael and Capt.

McCarthy" patrolled the area in a jeep, with loaded .45 pistols and night sticks.

On Friday morning nearly all 5PB personnel were given passes to get them out of the area. Things were quiet over the weekend.

On Tuesday night, the 28th, an MP was beaten up in the area. A trainee was beated and robbed. And the telephone center near SPB and the 6th Tng. Btn. was wrecked.

On Tuesday afternoon at the 1:00 PM formation, Col. Cook, Commanding

Officer of SPB said that because the men in SPB had been AWOL, that they must have problems. Then he said that all men with problems would be allowed excess leave time to take care of their problems. This was said, obviously, because the

Colonel wanted to clear out SPB for the time being.

Wednesday, the 29th, at 4:30;PM formation, Lt. Carmichael and Capt.

McCarthy called out the names of 8 black soldiers. There were 25 to 30 guards armed with .45 pistols surrounding the formation. The eight blacks were charged with assault on 5 white soldiers. The five whites were standing beside the officers.

One of the black men asked the officers why they were being put in the cage. Capt. McCarthy told the man, "I'll tell you later." After the eight black men were taken to the cage, the 5 whites walked through the formation and fingered 13 more Afro-American GIs. These men were also put in the cage.

Capt. McCarthy said to the formation of some 150 SPB personnel, "there are 140 new spaces available in the stockade for SPBers. And I will do my damndest to fill them." The Commanding General has plans, if necessary, to alert the whole post to control SPB. And riot-control MPs stationed at Ft. Meade, Mary­ land have been on alert for a week.

The officer also said, "These people (the 21 black men just arrested) are going to the stockade, they are charged with assault and will get 2 to 8 years." McCarthy then brought up a white GI with a puffed face. He said, "This is what they did."

Wednesday night, 6:00 PM, curfew starts. The men are confined to 4. sïi-ior their barracks and guards are given orders to shoot to kill if any SPB personnel

•'• i -' '': attempt to leave the'restricted area.; : That night, one man was actually shot at.

All the night guards were stationed outside the barracks. Outside the restricted

• •' area guards patrolled with .loaded riot shotguns, Over 175 MPs, trained in riot- l-t ,' • control, from Ft. Meade,-Md.> were also in the area.

.:.': The lights were turned out at 10:00 PM that night. Anyone caught

.a:?-;L; out of bed was tö be charged with breaking restriction and was taken immediately

to the stockade. The "law-breaker" would face a Special Court Martial with a

maximum penalty of six months confinement in the stockade at hard labor.

;: : Another man, other than Pvt. William McClendon, was charged with

• breaking restriction because he was 15 minutes late from returning to Western

Union. The man had permission to go to Western Union. He now faces a Special

''•••'• Court Martial arid six months, confinement, at hard labor. Just for being 15 minutes

; " late. '. •:'•' -.'\ «>".i'-. ,.

- On Thursday morning, Sgt. Watson, 3rd Platoon, A Company, said, "If

;l: you men do anything at all you'll go to jail" — meaning the stockade. On

Thursday several men were confined to the stockade on minor offenses. Leaves

were being granted left and right with the idea of dispersing the SPB personnel.

On Friday morning the harassment continued with many men going to

the stockade. Also, on: : Friday there was a bomb threat at Operations , the HQ

Of SPB. V-;:. ..;,-_ :,-4.. ,...••'.

• • • •

Continuing reports will be issued in future press releases, and

printed in the SPB NEWS (copy enclosed). , American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

r ;:,M ; '••' '.: !•'-''••• "F0R MEDIATE RELEASE: ,r vfi6„.., £vr3rnul. -,

"August 13, 1970, ME'.! YORK, i-I.Y. — iiembers of the Ame rican Servicemen's

! Uni on stationed at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin are at this time being, questioned by the ^Crim­

inal Investigating Division(CID)of the Army and the FBI in conesstion.with three bomb­

ings that took place on the base on JuTy 26, 1970. Two buildings .were destoryed by the

'blasts. One of the buildings was the Centra,] Telephone Exdiange and tiie.otier housed

-••••a' llestern Electric transformer. ... , . - *••.,,••

"'Among the men being questioned are Specialist Fourth ClassCSp/4).S£-ov2

- Geben ;''Sp/4J "Thomas Chase and PFC Dan Kreps. In a statement released ta the. ilati onal

Office of the ASU the men said, "H e are being held prisoner at Camp ilcCoy. We have

been interrogated for hours at a time, and threatened with charges of sedition, conspri-

âcy, treason and other heavy crimes(but not actually charged)» We have been illegally

Restricted to four buildings: the barracks, the messhall, orderly room and supply room.

One of us j Steve Geden, is married and is not a-TIowed to go home to sae his wife and zniü:1 ' ": . . _ _.,. ..;.

Ha have been transferred to work in the supply room, where we are forced

to preform hard-labor type duties. After duty hours we must sign in every hour on the

.icur.

"All of this, the endless interrogation, the harassment, the hard-labor,

't:iG illegal restriction and the deprivation of our constitutional rights — all of this

saens to stem from the bombings that took place on the 26th. And it seems strange to

us that the only people being subjected to this illegal confinement are ASU members.

He are political prisoners, and CID and the FBI pigs perpetrating this outrage are

using their investigation as a weapon to destory ASU solidarity on Camp ilcCoy. But they

will not intimidate us! "

TUp (over)

B \J 1^1 \w The Servicemen's Newspaper The latest developments of the case are that Sp/4 Geden has been given a punitive transfer to Ft. Carson, Colorado. The other inen are st*ll held for question- inn and are on restriction. The lawyer for the ASU members j David Heitzman, of Madison,

îlisconsin, has; filed a writ of habeas corpus in Federal Court for thee immediate release of the remaining..soldiers. ' ' ,r'"v'!' '•••n'rSrs•';:-.-••• ; r.

, . Since the interrogation and harassment began over' two.weeks ago, the men been •••^J,-. £rïe.v;?)!Yj' [..--:•,;,..,_ ...... have/interrogated repeatedly without the presence of;their lawyer-wlr: Heitzman lives and yprKs; in iladison which is over 150 miles from Camp McCoy. Because of this the men have been deprived of their rights under the 5tff'Amenanient of the Constitution and under nrticie. ;31 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice'. : • ;...-,;.

.,,,,;-;,, r. John Lewis, the National Field Organiser for'the ASU, said here today, "we here in the iJatjonal Office are doing everything in ôurrpower to-free.;our brothers

-iÇing held illegal 1y by the Brass at Camp ilcCoy. These- men are being, fram ed-up because they have been and still are organizing to build the American-Servicemen's Union. The

ASU is sending to Camp McCoy some of most experienced organizers to. holp our brothers in this gross injustice."

• -,, ,...:..:.. — SO-- '

'f'i :

>Tli American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780 FOR IMMEDIAT^ RELEASE: ,.-.:._ ^-.., ,,..,; ,..-... ::~, , ;

\NÊW YORK,. TSI.Y., August 19^ 1970 — Today the last of several

members of the American Se'r^cemen's Unioh(AStJJ stationed at Camp McCoy _

Wisconsin were released: "ffom- f estHcuoh on the" Army base. The ASU mem­ bers had been restricted tö the base and interrogated by government agents in connection -with severalbomb explosions" at the" base on Sunday, July 26. The men released from the restfidttoh that nad lasted.for nearly four weeks, were

Sp/iffThomaS1 Chase and ^FC Dan Kfeps. " Sp/4 Steve Geden had been released'on August 12, "Alt' three' men have Been puriitively transferred to Ft.

i . n C arson j' Colorado-? - '"' ';:;: "~~n . . .-, jp .;...... , ... .-, •srxvtTrs to noön-ji i - -v Their release cameras'a fes'ult of solidarity among the' men in the

ASU Chapter at Camp McCoy, and "the efforts "ôï the'national office of the ASU in New York City. The national office, on recieveing a phone call from Sp/4 legal Geden on July 31, was able to obtain/counsel for the men. David Heitzman, a lawyer from Madison, Wisconsin, immediately got on the case and filed a writ of habeas corpus in Federal Court in Milwaukee, demanding that the Army release the men or charge them, /Uso, the national office of the ASU sent out National

Field Organizer, John Lewis, to Camp McCoy to organize support for the men among the GIs on the base. And with the aid of the Milwaukee branch of Youth

Against War and Fascism, support was organized for the ASU GIs in Milwaukee.

YAWF was able to get out a press release and a leaflet calling for a demonstrat­ ion in support of the ASU men at the Federal Bldg. The habeas corpus hear­ ing was cancelled on Wednesday., August 18, when the i.rmy decided to release the men. (over) THE B OND The Servicemen's Newspaper Andy Stapp, Chairman of the ASU, said today, "the American

Servicemen's Union ahd all rank and file erJisted men'ha the -US •'Military won a victory today. The Brass, backed down ;at. Çampr,McCoy-'when they saw that' the Union was going to make a fight out of theirKl.illegal-harassment of ASu mem­ bers on the base. The reason that they ha^^^(äQjftto'W^s>'ibi^iiU8e':bf'cthe organizational capibilities of the ASU to respond;-itO/ its: membership iri this most repressive period of the struggle for liberation,and justice for GIs?l The ASU members at McCoy remained strong in the .fapeiof; terrible 'harassment and 3rd degree interrogation- In addition to this they ;Gpntinue.dn their organizing work oh the base for the Union. The men transferred from Camp McCoy have every ' intention of carrying on the struggle at Ft.,, Carson. „irTherë" is ho' way the

-• ,j"- ' '" ...... ^ _ _^ Brass can stop our fight against the y^aiu,,, f^c^sg^ßaijdt<."JÖie''.'Ö^ers.-" •'

. - 3D...- ß,.iöo Isnaifcn sdT -v1- A" °x V.J'-J'/"

'1ÜVV. ai .'^ x.le-inxtjo. ' ..):;„

u" * *. -

t * merican Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780 FOR IMMEDIATE, RE

ÂSU Or ganizer Acquited on Assuaii Charge

Trenton* NJ, October 30, \97Q — Tom Doyle, a Marin* e•

* reservist and a member

here today on charges of assaulting a Military Police Sgt, The charges,

which carried a possible 90 day prison sentence stemed from the arrest

of Doyle and Ik other ASU supporters distributing the Bond, the newspaper New Jersey 1:ast of the. ASU, on the base at Ft^. Dix/ Aprilf Orginally, Tom was

facing 7 years on the assault charge, The feloney charge was dropped

because of pressure from the ASU and its supporters»

The charge of assault came after Tom and the other supporters

had been arrested by the MPs and kept in a bullpen for several hours, and

Tom demanded: his right to make a phone call, Tom was denied this right

and a fight broke out,. The charge read specifically that Doyle hit an MP

Sgt,. in the mouth with his fist,

Doyle,, who plead not guilty was represented in court by attroney

Several dozen supporters from Princeton U, and the A" SU

national office crowded into the courtroom, The government prosecutor waved

coptes of the Bond in front of each defense witness and shouted that the

ASU newspaper called cops "Fascist pigs," Doyle, who wore an ASU

button throughout the trial did not deny this,

During the two days of trial, a Black rebellion was taking place

in Trenton and more than once gunfire ourtroo

THE

The Servicemen's Newspaper

<*• - *

Bob Demay, National Director of the ASU, stated, "What was

really on trial in this case was our newspaper, the Bond, and the right

for us to get th e word about the Union of lower ranking GIs out to the

soldiers at Ft, Dix, The fascist Brass tried to single out Tom Doyle

and make a scapegoat out of him because they don't want the GIs to be

able to read the paper/ The Government and their puppets,the Brass,

think they can stop the unionization of servicemen and women by bringing

individual ASU organizers to trial, The Brass will never break up our

• Union because the will of the oppressed people is greater than the power!

of the oppressor!" - ?0

ri

* AMERICAN SERVICEMEN'S UNION l£6 fifth Ave., Room 538 New York, N.Y. 10010 Andrew Stapp, Chairman 212-675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feb. 13j New York City. A Federal Grand Jury in Madison, Wisconsin has indicted three army enlisted men on charges that they dynamited installations at Camp McCoy, Wise, last July 26th, the anniversary of Fidel Castro's attack *>n the Moncada Barracks. All thrca GIs ..".0 Kirmbers of the American Service­ men's Union. Damage to the Camp's central t'elepînne exchange, a Western Electric transformer and the base's waterworks was estimated at $100,000,00 by United States Attorney John Olsen. Destruction at the two old WJf.II buildings housing the telephone exchange was almost total, putting the phone service out of operation for almost a month. Immediately after the explosions Pfc. Dannie Kreps, Pfc. Thomas Chase, and Pfc. Steven Geop"; a Vietnam " steran, were held for question:'ng. They were interrogated by army Criminal Investigation Divi<=i^n agents, Military Intelligence and the FBI who threatened them wi**h charges of sedition, con­ spiracy, and treason. Dannie Kreps, a communication? instructor, had started his classes for National Guard trainees by sayin, "I don't know a hell of a lot about communications but I do know about the American Servicemen's Union". He would then go into a talk about the ASU. The men were held under barracks arrest (Ged^r wh<-> i« married, was not allowed to see his wife and child) until Aug. 19th when a Uni:n lawyer from Madison, David Heitzman, filed a writ of Habeas Corpus in Federal Court forcing the army to release the three. They v;ere then transfered to Ft. Carson, Colorado. Several weeks later a grand jury was convened in Madison to investigate the bombings. At Ft. Carson the soldiers continued to struggle and Chase soon was facing a Special Courtmartial for distributing the Bond, the ASU National Newspaper. Geden was thrown into the stockade pending a general courtmartial for participating in a demonstration at Ft, Carson's main gate while in uniform. They were never brought to trial on these charges, how­ ever, for at 11 A.M. nn Feb. 11th the three GIs were taken into custody by the FBI and removed to the Federal building in Denver. The Madison grand jury had brought down its indictments. Kreps and Chase were charged with stealing explosives fro» the Overgard Quary near LaCrosse* Wise, on July 22nd and, along with Ged^n carrying out the bombings at Camp McCoy, William Powers, named as a co-conspirator, was not arrested. He is expected to be a government witness. Ged<ànj, Chase and Kreps face prison terms of up to 35 years each and individual fines of up to $30,000.00. Terry Klug, National Organizer of the American Servicemen's Uni'-.n, has said that "This is a direct attack on the ASU. The Federal Government has felt our strength and now, with the invasion of Lacs, and with escalated warfare against the Black Panther Party and all oppressed 3rdWorld peoples, the government, along with the military, is attempting to intimidate the Union by framing three of its key organizers. That the announcement of the indict­ ments came directly from Attorney General Mitchell makes it clear that this will be a major government attack on the GI movement. The Union will take whatever measures necessary to keep this attack from succeeding." Speaking fcr the men after their arrest, Themas Chase stated, "This is another attemph to destroy our Union which is growing mere powerful every day. It is a frame-up and it will fail J' Gedden and Kreps are being held on $15-000.00 bail each and Chase on $25,000.00. Contributions for their defense can be sent to The Camp McCoy Three Defense Committee, 156 Fifth Ave., Rrcm 538, New York City, New York 10010. American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WAGS FIGHT BRASS AT FT LEWIS

On January 26 at Ft Lewis, Seattle SpA Josephine fgviera was on Sick call in bed in her barracks. Regardless of this fact, the racist brass ordered her out of bed and back to work , Josephine refused to do this*; she was so ill that she could not even walk,. Josephine's CO personally came to the barracks and ordered her out of bed. The CO threatened her with a courtmartial if she refused to obey this order., Josephine told her"to go ahead but she would get what was coming to her". At this point the CO and her lackeys tried to force Josephine out of bed.. Miriam VaS^uez a WAC who was Josephines cubemate. came to her defense and both women fought off the CO and her gang. Both women were restrivted on pretrial confinement to an old guard shack at the most deserted end of base- The conditions of this guard shack was unlivable . There were broken windows, the Water was rusty and the showers were open and totally unfit for use. The first Sgt insisted that Josephine shower before being allowed to go to the hospital, Miriam Vasruez was courtmartialed and received an Undesirable Dis­ charge . Josephine had a Kangaroo courtmartial and received 30 days ha£d labor, $150 fine and a bust in rank from an B4 to an El - Sue Steinman, a national organizer for the ASU said » Servicewomen are no longer going to accept the harrassmert of the racist brass. The ASU pledges full support to these fighting women"- -30-

THE B O IM D The Servicemen's Newspaper American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

FOR BNEÏDTAE RELEASE::

LAIL ON THE CAMP MC COY 3 SET AT $20,000

New York, NY, April 17.

The bail on the Camp McCoy three, PFC Tom Chase, PFC Steve Ceden and PFC Dannie Kreps has been set at $20,000, by Federal Judge Janes Doyle in Madison, Wisconsin.

The three GI's, all Vietnam veterans and members of the American Servicemen's Union, arc charged with blowing up a l.'estern Electric transformer and the central telephone exchange at Camp McCoy, V.'isconson, last July 26. They have pled not guilty to thft charges, which could bring 35 years in prison and $35*0Q0 £inas each.

The men were represented by Henry diSuvexo and Melvin Greenberg, retained by the ASU for the bail heari ng. Over SO supporters packed the Madison courtroom to support the three Union organizers.

^ Bail for Geden and Kreps was set at $5,000 and on Chase Judge Doyl-e demanded $10,000. Steve Geden was bailed out and went to Fort Sheridan, where lie was discharged from the service immediately, j*, Kreps and Chase have remained in prsison. The Wisconsin Stud-ent Alliance has contributed $5,000 toward the bail fund the American Servicemen's Union set up to raise money for Chase and Geden's bail.

John Lewis, National Organizer of the ASU, who is in Madison organizing for the defense of the Camp McCoy three stated, "The lowering of the bail from the $55,000 ransom demanded by the prosecutor, Olson, is a victory for the ASU. Mitchell is attempting to bust the American Servicemen's Union by illegally exercising his power as the US Attorney General. I!e will not succeed in this rotten frame-up."

Henry diSuvero, Chase's lawyer, represented both Terry Klug and Carlo Rodriguez, who were accused of leading the Fort Dix 38 rebellion in June of 1969. Like the Camp McCoy three, both Klug and Rodriguez were ASlIhembers.

- 30 -

THE B V/lll# The Servicemen's Newspaper /- ?- 7Z-

AMERICAN SERVICEMEN'S UNION 58 ..'est 25th Street

New York, N.Y. 10010 212-675-2520

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASES V Lawyers' Association of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Demands release of Camp McCoy 3

The Korean Democratic Lawyers Association has issued a statement of

strong support to three organizers of the American Servicemen's Union

who are currently facing bombing and conspiracy charges for allegedly

destorying the central telephone exchange at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin on

July 26, 1970.

The three men, all Vietnam veterans, are Tom Chase, Danny Kreps

and Steve Geden. Their indictment was announced by, Attroney General

at the time, John Mitchel, on Februrary 11, 1971. The maximum penalty under the charges is 35 years in prison and $30,000 in fines for each defendant.

The Camp McCoy 3 are currently on bail in Madison, Wisconsin where their trial is to take place. The telegram-statement of the Korean

Democratic Lawyers Association was sent to the National Headquaters of the American Servicemen's Union, and reads as follows: (over) ".Je learned with great indignation news that reactionary U.S. authorities unlawfully arrested and imprisoned three of your union cadres on false charges, put them to brutal persecutions and are

recently manoeuveringviciously to bring them to trial. We resolutely protest against and condemn unjust imprisonment and persecution of your union cadres as grave provacation against against ASU, repre­ senting legitimate aspiration of American servicemen for justice, j;peace and defence of human rights. »Those to be put on trial as criminals are not the three of them do ; • •'.' but US imperialists committing aggression and.plunder, and; ; suppressing [people evefwhere in world. Together with US progressive people and all world people valuing justice we strongly demand reactionary authorities US imperialist to stop immediately illegal assault on ASU and to withdraw at once indictment against cadres and express full support for their release." .

Korean Democratic Lawyers Association P Pyongyang, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE —

STATEMENT OF PFC ROBERT MICHENER, 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION» US ARMY, VIETNAM

Camp Eagle, Vietnam, 1 May 1971 •*•*

To my .brothers and sisters in the struggle,

The American Servicemen's Union is a rank-and-file organization that is completely run, operated and paid for by the lower class of theafemy — the Enlisted men and women. As EM we realize that we are the slaves of the Brass. The people who are ordered to kill, kill, kill for the fascist lifer Brass and the man who stands next to them, our pig pres­ ident, Nixon. Each and every day is another episode in our longing struggle. How much longer are we going to struggle? Every day the bomb­ ing continues, EM are killed or wounded, Vietnamese are raped and exploited, and the upper class warlords make more money. Blood money! It's time that we stopped giving them blood money and started seeing peace in Indochina. We must stop this insane, crazy war in Vietnam. We have to apply the brakes to the Green war machine NOWI We cannot permit it to run amok any longer. If it continues, the people of the world will continue to be at the mercy of Nixon and his henchmen. Nixon is trying to take over the world like Hitler and his Nazis tried to do it in the 1940's. We must stop him. Without control of the military, Nixon's dictatorship v/ill disintegrate. We must prevail for the sake of humanity! If we fail our souls will rot in the dungeons of fascism.

Presently in my unit, the pig Brass are out to suppress my ASU activities. The pigs are conspiring against me, they want me disposed of. They see the world under fascism as the totalitarian atmosphere of their liking. I see it as a disease that must be extinguished. They are now planning the steps to be made in getting rid of this ASU organizer. With the help of the EM in this unit, they are informing me of this plot agianst me. With their help and the help of my brothers and sisters of the ASU, the pig Brass's plot will crumble. This is just another istance of the Brass trying to crush our Union. Like always, it will fail. Power too the ASU. Power to the people!

/signed/

Robert Michener Service Battery, Second Battalion, Eleventh Artillery, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) Camp Eagle, South Vietnam

THE B \J IM W The Servicemen's Newspaper American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.538 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASES I ASU ORGANIZER IN VIETNAM FRAMED

New York» NiYi, May 19, 1971 **-

PFC Robert Michener, ASU organizer in the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam» has been framed up on a phoney dope bust, He told the National Office of the ASU in a letter dated 22 April: "Thanks to a few EM inform­ ers arid some friends I found out some very interesting information. It seems that the pigs around here are out to get me. The CO has conspired with the First Pig (Sergeant) and assorted pig officers to nab me for anything1 And the clincher is that they believe I'm pushing dope I I find that change hard to believe! But with the suspicion of being a dope peddler they could always PLANT some dope and win out."

"The ASU members in my1 unit have been notified on what's happening to me and v/e're planning out steps We're going to take in handling it. So I thought I'd let you in on what *shhappening to me. I might get railroaded into a frame-up and I want you to know what's going on from the beginning."

On May 1, PFC Michener wrote to the National Office, "Two days ago I was called down to the orderly room to see my fascist, racist CO. He read me Article 31 (5hh Amendment). I was being charged with possession of grass. The next step Was a shake=down of my personal belongings. I was then taken to CID and refused to talk to the pigs."

"One EM in my unit overheard the CO say to the XO that they don't want me for drugs but for my ASU activities. They know that their 'plant' failed and now they want to pin me with being a subversive. The XO has pro­ claimed me a 'communist' in fromt of five officers."

John Lewis, National Field Organizer of the ASU, said today, "Bob Michener has been organizing <ßor the ASU in his unit in Vietnam for several months. He had been under aöriatknt attack by his racist, fascist CO, Captain Karl Ingram, for his Union organizing activities. Brother Michener has been getting out the word about the ASU to the line units of the 101st Airborne Division, and this is one thing that the Brass do not like. They want to keep the EM ignorant of the ASU so that they will be the willing tools of the war machine. Thanks to organizers like Michener this will not happen and line-unit GI's will continue to hear about the Union and will continue to organize to build the powerful EM organization that is needed to smash the power of the Brass, and stop war, racism and the oppression of GI's." -30-

THE B ^J IM fmw The Servicemen's Newspaper AiVTRICAN SERVICE»«PS UNION 150 FIFTH AVENUE, ROOM 737 NEW YORK- N.Ï. 10011 212- 675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - ASU ORGANIZER FRAMED ON HEROIN CHARGE, BEATEN BY MPs AT DA NANS STOCKADE New York, July 30, 1971-

For several months PFC Robert Michener has been an active organizer for the American Servicemen's Union at Camp Eagle a nd at the va rious firebases of the 2/U Artillery, 101st Airborne Division» Bob never tried to hide his work for the union from anyone. He organized some 28 of his fellow enlisted men to draw up a statement exposing war crimes in the Tay Ninh area of South Vietnam and in support of the Winter Soldier Investigation organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the Warl Bob was -also active in mobilizing support for the Camp McCoy 3 (three ASU organizers who have been indicted on phony charges of bombing buildings at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin last July 26)• Several articles signed by Bob have appeared in The Bond, the newspaper ot the ASU* On May 13, CID (Criminal Investigation Division) a nd MI (Military Intelligence) agents Shook down Bob's personal belongings and confiscated copies of The Bond, Michener's ASU membership card, as well as correspond­ ence Bob had received from the national headquarters of the union» After this illegal search a nd seizure of property, Bob was taken to the MP compound at Camp Eagle and kept in an 8• by 8' box for a day and a half. He was then flown to the stockade at Da Nang and was told he was being charged with sale and possession of heroin and marijuana« The charges can result in over 30 years in prison« The ASU national office had been alerted about this arrest before it actually happened, since several, members and sympathizers of the ASU had overheard conversations among 2/ll officers in which it was made plain that Bob would be "gotten." Two days before the union headquarters got word from Bob that he was in the stockade and had been charged, the ASU had sent a complaint to the Army Inspector General in Washington« Later Bob informed the union that he had been beaten by guards at the Da Nang stockade, and smashed accross his face with a «45 calibre pistol by a sadistic MP. On July first Michener had" an Article 32 investigation (similar to a grand jury investigation in civilian life) • At that time he found that the Army had destroyed evidence it had confiscated which Bob intended to use to prove that he was on trial not for drugs, but for his active role in building a union of rank-and-file GIs. The ASU has received the following letter from Bob Michener, sent from the Da Nang stockade.: "On July first I went to my Article 32 investigation, and what a joke it was« I found out tha t the MI pigs burnt and destroyed my ASU materials including my membership card and mail. With them were Bonds, pamphlets, and one banner... It just goes to show how nazi-like the Army's gestapo police are. They needed to burn my stuff to destroy every shred of evidence that I could use to show that I'm being charged because I'm an ASU orgatizer« "Of course the IG report on my arrest is a bunch of shit. First, the pigs never found narcotics in my possession. Second, they did find narcotics, but it was in somebody's AO and HE said it was mine, which it wasn't. This GI is a junkie. With all the heat on me before the bust, how could I be stupid enough to keep drugs in my AOl? A radica 1 I am, but a PUSHER? Hell noi

(OVER) (CONTINUED)

"We would not tolerate any drugs in our ASU meetings in service battery. I also encouraged the members of the union not to hang around with heavy users. "In order to smash the Brass we must be high spirited - not nodding outt"

It is still not known when Bob Michener will be facing a General Court-Martial at Camp Eagle«

Bond editor Gene Weixel said today .regarding the frame up of Bob Michener, "Tho charges against Bob häebener represent an attack on the effort to build the ASU into a stronger force a gainst the illegal war in Indochina and is also an attack on the entire movement against that war. Further, it is public knowledge that high ranking US, Saigon, and other officials are deeply involved in the profitable heroin trade among US GIs in Vietnam. The current actions being taken by the Brass, such as- testing GIs in Vietnam for drug addiction are meant to cover up the crimianl role the US and Saigon has played in unleashing «a epidemic of drug addiction in the ranks of the military. It is outrageous that the US military even dare to put en enlisted man on trial for any drug related 'offense' since the Brass, are completely responsible for the drug tra de. Not only do the Brass illegally send GIs to Vietnam, but GIs are subjected to constant danger and abuse by the Brass, a situation which results in many GIs seeking escape from their intolerable situation. High ranking officer« are cot only responsible for the availability of drugs, they a re also responsible for driving GIs to the use of drugs. Nixon, Ky, a nd Helms should be on trial for selling heroin, not Bob i-dchener or any other GI." American Servicemen's Union Andrew Stapp, Chairman

150 Fifth Ave., Room 737 New York, N.Y. 10011 ph. 212-675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

AV.S.U. STATEMENT ON THE PRISONER REBELLION AT ATTICA STATE PRISON, N.Y.

New York, N.Y., Sept. 10, 1971 National Guard Troops from Buffalo, N.Y. have been called out to suppress the rebellion of prisoners at Attica State Penitentiary. The prisoners seized 4 out of 5 cell-blocks and 35 guards. Their demands include: better living conditions, political and religious freedom, the right to emigrate to a non-imperialist country, no reprisals against prisoners participating in the rebellion, and inspection of the prison by Huey Newton of the Black Panther Party, and representatives of the Prisoners Solidarity Committee of Youth Against War and Fascism, the Young Lords Party, the nation of Islam, :. well as other political and legal figures.

Mitch Smith, a national organizer for the American Serivemeii's Union, and a former Army stockade prisoner, made the following statement about the calling out of the National Guard:

"The American Servicemen's Union regards this prison rebellion as a direct response to the recent murder of George Jackson at San Quentin Prison, as well as a general and just struggle against the dehumanizing conditions to which the prisoners are subjected for years, and lifetimes, and the racism that accounts for the fact that 85% of the prisoners are Mack and Third World. * "In response to the rebellion, and the reasonable demands of the prisoners, 500 police and sherriff's deputies were called out. Nov/, after a night of fruitless negotiations, and the prisoners remain strong, the military is being deployed, armed with M-16s, machineguns and gas, first as a means of intimidating the prisoners, and later for the application of crude force,

"The A.S.U., as an organization representing the interests of rank-and-file G.I.'s, has long opposed the use of G.I.'s as cannonfodder in a war against the oppressed Black and Third World peoples imprisoned in concentration camps in the United States.

"Many of the organizers of the A.S.U. have been imprisoned in military stechades and prisons, such as Ft. Leavenworth, for challenging their racist, dictatorial officers. We are in complete solidarity with the Attica prisoners, and demand the immediate withdrawal of the National Guard from Attica."

— 30 — American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 150 Fifth Ave., Rm. 737 New York, N.Y. 10011 212-675-6780

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

BLACK SERVICEMEN REBEL AT GOVERNOR'S ISLAND, N.Y. COAST GUARD BASE

New York N.Y.., October 3, 1971 On Thursday morning, Sept. 30th, a

rebellion of the Black servicemen on Governor's Island began. A group of Black Coast-

guardsnen(CG)bcarded the U.S. C.G. Cutter Galatin in response to threats by whiteCG

against seveaal Black CO on the ship. A fight broke out, in the course of which the

Black servicemen were confronted by a white officer, Lt.(jig.) Denello, the Officer of

the Deck, and in the ensuing altercation he was injured and sent to the hospital.

In the course of the following workday, a strike developed in which the

Black personnel on the base refused to go to their normal duties, and demanded an

investigation of the incident which would lead to the prosecution of those responsible for provoking it.

The incident on the Galatin has its orgins in a long list of grievences and previous confrontations with base authorities. The Black Servicemen's Caucas, the

organization of the Black servicemen on the base, was formed early this year and has the following list of demands:

1. End to the exploitation and oppression of our brothers and sisters in the

community,

2. End to all rules and regulations that prohibit Black Servicemen from engaging

in the struggle for liberation in their communities.

3. A Black Studies and cultural center that will serve us a club that can be

representative of our culture and heritage.

4. The end of the use of the military in the streets and on the campuses of the U.S.

5. Ne demand that dishonorably discharging individuals from the Armed Services be

prohibited. (more) THE B KJ 1^1 \w The Servicemen's Newspaper 6; Ne demand Ute right to have and to pass to our brothers material relevant to our

culture, heritage and present situation.

74 Ne demand that the base library provide literaure on our"TRUE" heritage and

culture. » v.

8. We demand that our brothers and sisters in the military be tried by a jury of

their peers.

9. Ne demand fair representation.

10. Ne accuse the military system of the UtS. to be racist and a tool of the racist

power structure that is attempting to destroy and suppress the cries of Black

people and all oppressed people throughout the world — this must end. *******

In August of this year, the office of the Executive Officer of the Training Black CG. the

Center was occupied by a group of 65/ ' The nen confronted / white officer named Lt,

Läpp}and made demands for an end to racist practices on the part of the authorites.

In an interview which took place on Thursday, Sept. 30, leaders of the Black

Servicemen's Caucas told the American Servicemen's Union(ASU) that these practices

included the following:

Discriminatory disenrollmentat the Training Center, e.g., the disenrollment

of a Black student who had been AWOL 53 1/2 hours, when the minimum time required for

such action was 72 hours. White students are rarely, if ever, disenrolled. Overt

racism is displayed toward Black personnel by Training Center authorities, such as the

refusal of the above Lt. Lapp to allow a Black Seaman to see the base Civil Rights

Officer, who is Black., when the Seaman had already been given such permission. In face

of an accusation of racism, Lt. Lapp declared himself to be a racist. The Black CG have demanded that Lapp be taken out of a position of authority, but the base authorities have refused to do this repeatedly. Black CG have been virtually excluded from the Shore Patrol, and are excluded

(more) ' completely from regular patrol duty.

The Black Servicemen's Caucas charges discrimination in the dispensing of pun­

ishment, both non-judicial and Courts-Martial. A recent example was the month-long

pre-trial confinement of a Black serviceman who had been AWOL for five months. Ne was

Court-Martialed and recieved a sentence of 6 months additional confinement at hard

labor. This contrasts with the recent case of a white serviceman who had been AWOL

eight months, and was placed on duty as a "dayworker", pending Court-Martial, an assign­

ment in which he was in a position of supervisor over Black servicemen. Charges against

him were ultimately dropped. Cases of white CG from Governor's Island going to the

brig for infractions are extremly infrequent.

The Black Servicemen's Caucas further charges complicity of base authorites

with organized white racist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, on the base. Evidence

of this is shown in the regularity of physical assautIs on Black members of the base by lack groups of 'whites, and the /. of offical action against them. Further examples include

in addition to the incident mentioned above on the U.S.CG. Cutter Galatin, an attack

two weeks previous at the ferry landing on the base by eight whites, on two Black. CG

disembarking from the ferry. In the course of this attack, one of the Black men was

struck in the head by a brick and was badly injured. No arrests were made or charges

brought against any of the whites.

Following the incident Thursday morning on the Cutter Galatin, a leaflet was

distributed on the base by white members of the American Servicemen's Union, which called

on white CG to come to the support of the Black Servicemen's Caucas, and called for a

demonstration at South Ferry in Manhatten fcr the afternoon of Friday, October 1st.

The response to the leafleting on the part of the Brass was an immediate investigation,

and simultaneous threats by racist organizations of attacks Friday night. The name of

a racist organization called S.P.O.N.G.E. appeared that day prominently for the first time.

In addition to the demands listed above, the Black Servicemen's Caucas demands the right to form self-defense squades for protection of Black CG walking on the base (more) » members

and the formation of UCMJ(Uniform Code of Military Justice)Committees to defend Black /

of the base from false charges.

An investigation by the Coast Guard has been under way since the Thursday

incident on the Cutter Galatin. Three Black CG have been questioned by an offical

investigating committee in relation to the incident on the ship and the subsequent

strike by Black CG. They were denied the right to legal counsel of their choice, turning

down legal counsel from the Coast Guard. A Mr. Katten, Duty Officer on Saturaday, told

the American Servicemen's Union that the men had been informed of their rights and that

formal charges would follow the investigation. The whites questioned by the committee the whites were not present before the committee as the Black CG were. Tape recorded testomony of /

was heard by the committee.

Robert Watson, of the American Servicemen's Union, a former enlisted member

of the U.S. Air Force, said today, "the Black community ardently stands behind you in

your just struggle for freedom and independence agai-st the caste system perpetuated by

the U.S. Coast Guard. We, the Black community, say struggle on until complete freedom

has been won. Long live tho Elack Servicemen's Caucasî Ardently yours in the struggle,

the Black community."'

- 30 - Z3-* IZ~1T I

AMERICAN SERVICEMEN'S UNION Andrew Stapp, Chairman

58 West 25th Street, New York, N.Y. 10010 /212Ji6_Z5jr2520

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Statement of the American Servicemen's Union regarding the mission of the USS Enterprise and other ships of the US 7th Fleet in the Bay of Bengal.

NEW YORK, N.Y. December 17, 1971 — The American Servicemen's Union denounces the mission of the nuclear aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise, and other warships of the US 7th Fleet to the Bay of Bengal. 'We denounce this imperialist aggression and comparé it with the intervention in the Domini­ can Republic in 1965, the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961, and other similar acts of. aggression.

The USS Enterprise and the other ships are simply exchanging one mission of aggression for another. The Enterprise is responsible for over 60% of the bombs dropped on Indochina every day. The Nixon administration has, in effect, declared the Indian Ocean an American lake, and they have not consulted anyone about this, least of all the Marines and sailors aboard the ships and the American people here at home.

The American people have no interests in the Bay of Bengal, nor the countries that border dh it, Bangla Desh and India. It is a blatant lie that the mission of the Enterprise is to take American citizens out of Bangla Desh; they are in no danger whatsoever, and can leave whenever they like. The real purpose of this mission is to threaten Bangla Desh and India with the armed might of the US military. If the purpose of the American ships is ''humanitarian," then why are hydrogen bombs, amphibious landing craft, helicopters and other war machines needed?

On behalf of American servicemen and women stationed all over the world, the American Servicemen's Union demands that this illegal, imperial­ ist act of aggression against the peoples of the sub-continent of South Asia be halted at ortce* The US government and military are seeking to in­ volve the American people in another military adventure. In Southeast Asia, 55,000 of our GÎ brothers and over a million Indochinese people have died in a war that has been going on for ten years» We must not let this happen again.

Nixon has not asked the American people if they wanted to send war­ ships to the Bay of Bengal. This is illegal aggression, and GIs have every legal right to resist it in any way they can.

The American Servicemen's Union calls on its membership on the Enter­ prise and GIs everywhere to resist this attempt to expand the war in Indo­ china to the entire äub-continent of South Asia. Bring ALL the GIs home NOW — all of them, wherever they nay be in the world!!!

•30- .tti/usjKxu«« £>ürs.vj.v,ia'UiiM D UMXUW Andrew s tapp, Chairman 58 West 25th Street, New York, N.Y. 10010 Iin h . Hi_ 212-675-2520

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

American Servicemen's Union Denounces National Guard Occupation, of The Black Community in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

NEW YOR^, N.Y. January 13, 1972 — The American Servicemen*s Union national office today issued a statement on the occupation of the Black community in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by 800 National Guard troops along with city and state police. The statement, made by ex»Air Force enlisted man Calvin Bonner, ASU National Staff Organizer and a former resident of Louisiana, is as .follows*

"The American servicemen's Union strongly denounces the armed occu­ pation of the Black community of Baton Rouge, Louisiana by National Guard troops and police, lie see this act as a declaration of escalating the war of genocide against Black America. This escalation of the war against Black people being carried out on the home front and perpetrated by Nixon and the racist ruling class he represents, coincides directly with the escalation of tiu» imperialist war effort being waged against the Vietnamese people.

"They tell us that the occupation of the Black community and the mur­ ders of JSlack men and women in Baton Rouge was brought on by 'outside agitators who had come to Baton Rouge as part of a plan to stir up trouble.' We say that all Black people in this country constitute a single nation, and that we are subjected to racial oppression and economic exploitation as a nation by the same racist ruling class that has, for so many years, reaped super-profits off the low wages forced upon Black workers. Fur­ thermore» we accuse Nixon and his gang of war profiteers of conspiring Ço 'stir up trouble' in Southeast Asia in order that they might also exploit and oppress Vietnamese people.

"The American Servicemen's Union recognizes the National Guard to be an armed force mobilized to serve the interests of the billionaire busi-» nassmen and industrial monopolists« The fourth demand of the ASU states that 'No troops are to be sent into Black, Latin or other national minority communities.

*VJe demand that the National Guard be immediately withdrawn from Baton Rouge; that all Black people arrested in the repression be released unconditionally; and that the killer cops who fired point blank into the crowd of people be charged with murder."

-30- American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman New York, N.Y. 10010 58 West 25th Street 212-675-2520

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,,, ASU CHAIRMAN DENOUNCES //AR ESCALATION - UNION CALLS FOR RESISTANCE New York, N.Y, May 8, 1972 — Tonight, Richard Nixon an­ nounced that US air and naval forces were mining the entrances to several ports in the Democratic Republic of (North) Vietnam and were escalating the bombing of the D,R.V, This comes in the wake of Nixon*s sabotage of the Paris peace talks, Andy Stapp, chairman of the American Servicemen's Union made the following statements " President Nixon's latest announcement exposes the complete and utter failure of »Vietnamiaation' and all previous US strategies against the Vietnamese people. The mining of the harbors of the D.R.V. is an act of war against all countries who trade with her as well as against the D.R.V« and people of Vietnam, Nixon is trying desperately to recover from the defeat inflicted upon him by the Vietnamese people in their struggle against U.S. imperialist; aggression, He is trying to place the blame for this defeat on the Soviet Union and the other socialist countries, " Nixon claims to be countering aggression in Vietnam, Viet« nam is one country and the only aggressor in this war is U^S, im«* perialism. The Vietnamese people have the right to defend their country and seek aid from any sourcet This illegal blockade and bombing are provocations against the U.S.S.R, and China, and through his actions, including massing Marines off Vietnam's coast, Nixon is risking a world war, " Nixon's claim of concern for the lives of the people of Vietnam, the 60,000 US troops he has there and the POWs he sent there is belied by this callous risking of their lives and a possible nuclear war," The war benefits only the big businesses, officers and lifers with profits, war contracts, expansion, promotions and graft,. Rank and file servicemen and women should not be used by these criminals in their plunge towards a new world war, The American Servicemen's Union is calling on its member.^ and all servicemen and women stationed off the coast of Vietnam to do everything within their power to resist this illegal act of piracy which threatens all their lives, - 30 -

THE

The Voice Of The American Servicemen's Union American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman New York, N.Y. 10010 58 West 25th Street 212-675-2520 FOR 1/a EDÏAÏE RELEASE -- AiiZ.^ICAi. SERVICEMEN'S UNI UN ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN ÏO ..lis CASH COMPENSATION FOR ALL VIETNAM //AR ERA i/ETERANS - DEMANDS $2,500 FOR TIïJZ LuST IN SERVICE July 10, (NewYork) - Andy Stapp, Chairman of the American Servicemen**« Union announced this norning that the ASU had initiated a campaign to ",/in $2,500 cash compensation for all veterans of the Vietnam /rar era (l>60-present). "Vietnam war era veterans today have the highest unemployment rate of any single social group in the country. The unemployment rate for Black, Latin and other national minority vets is twice the figure for white veterans" Stapp remarked, "In addition to the staggering rate of unemployment, hundreds of thousands more vets are trapped in the lowest paying jobs and are unable to support themselves and their families. For veterans who must support children the situation is desperate. The continuing rise in the cost of living aggravates this situation even further, as rfcurning veterans arc being faced with a national policy oJ freeze and ever decreasing opportunities to earn a decent living. The present GI Bill of Rights excludes automatically the thousands of vets unjugly branded with "less than honorable" discharges, and is not adequate for those veterans who arc eligible under the law. Vietnam era GIs were forced into military service against their alls under a draft system thâ singled out the working class and national minority youths, ./hile they were forced (and still are being forced) to fight an illegal war against other poor and oppressed people in Indochina, after-tar: profits have risen at a staggering rate for the big businesses who dictated this war« The war is being continued in an even more viseious manner than ever while the US military budget is being in» creased yearly.

"..'hile we were being forced to fight this war and occupy the soil of nations all over the world, all against our will, we were be-? ing chaeatcd out of the chance to work at constructive decent jobs and earn a decent living './age for ourselves. The difference between what an average enlisted man or woman earned over a two year period and what an average civilian worker earned over the same period is at least $2,500. The ASU believes that this money is owed us, not as any form of bonus orreward, but as -/ages stolen from us, "In view of this fact we have initiated a campaign to force the US Government to repay us this money which it owes us, »fe have initiated a petition campaign calling for the repayment of this debt and are planning more militant actions for the near future. The response from veterans we have already contacted has been enthusiastic and

CONTINUED

THE ML» The Voice Of The American Servicemen's Union based en this response v/e are announcing this national campaign, " .c view this campaign as only one step towards building a str< veterans' movement which can win more demands for veterans and as part of a general response by the poor and working people of the US to the increasing economic warfare being '/aged against us by the US Government and ruling class. $0,500 or fightJ

-30- Monday, Oct. 2nd, 1972 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VETERANS UNION REJECTS DEPUTY MAYOR HAMILTON'S STATEMENT ON JOB SCANDAL Last August the Federal Government appropriated one bil­ lion dollars under the Emergency Employment Act which was in­ tended to alleviate unemployment crises in major cities across the country. A large portion of this money was designated to help unemployed Vietnam War Era veterans* Today the American Servicemen's Union refuted a state­ ment made by Deputy Mayor Edward K. Hamilton "that the City has had great difficulty in interesting veterans in jobs on the program," This statement appeared in the New York Times on Sept. 23rd. The American Servicemen's Union charges that Deputy Mayor Hamilton's statement is a côver-upl Hakim Gahtan Abdullah, a national organizer and a spokes­ man for the ASU said, *this blatant cover-up indicates the City Administration*s neglect and unwillingness to reach out to the thousands of unemployed Vietnam Era Veterans in this city, and we denounce the Lindsay Administration for trying to shift the blame on Vietnam Veterans for the City's evasion of the clear intent of legislation as laid out in the guidelines. The City Administration is also hiding behind the excuse of "lack of qualifications" on the part of the veterans. It's not the City government that's in trouble, it's the veterans. The money under this law was not meant to fill the City's high- qualification posts, it was meant for the veterans and other poor unemployed people," The American Servicemen's Union demands that s 1) That the New York City Government establish highly visible job centers in the areas of high unemployment, publicly list­ ing jobs, wages, training, ect. available for Vietnam Era vet­ erans. That these centers be at least as visible as the re­ cruiting centers for war and that priority be given to areas such as South Bronx, Harlem, Bedfordstuyvesant and all areas where Black,Latin, and poor white veterans live. 2) Full utilization of all Federal monies to be used strictly for Vietnam War Era veterans and other poor people eligible under the act; not to be used for nepotism and high paid bur­ eaucrats, 3) In view of the fact that in New York City Vietnam Era vets are facing an unemployment crises we demand that the City un­ dertake a massive campaign to relieve the disastrous situation by s a) using its full power to get additional Federal funds. b) by cutting high saleried bureaucrats and technocrats. c) by instituting an immediate emergency tax on the giant banks and corporations located in this city which have grown fat in the last decade of war economy. 4) That the City Government make it .illegal for an employer to ask anything about a veteran's discharge other than his or her work experience. Discharges are used as a Pentagon pass- system to list veterans who were actively opposed to the war while on active duty. 5) That the City Government go on record as supporting the demand that the Federal Government provide $2500 cash compen­ sation for time lost in service for all Vietnam War Era Veterans. American Servicemen's Union Andrew stopp, chairman New York, N.Y. 10010 58 West 25th Street 212-675-2520

weds., Oct. 4th 1972 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VETERANS UNION TO MEET WITH DEPUTY MAYOR TO DISCUSS CITY HIRING PRACTICES Go Friday, Oct. 6th at 12 noon the American Servicemen's Union will be sending a delegation of veterans to City Hall to meet with Deputy Mayor Edward K. Hamilton to discuss City hiring practices under the Emergency Employment Act specifically as it relates to veterans of the Vietnam War Era, In an article appearing in the New York Times on Sept, 23rd Deputy Mayor Hamilton was directly quoted as saying "that the City has had great difficulty in interesting veterans in jobs on the program." The American Servicemen's Union, a na­ tional organization representing thousands of veterans of the Vietnam War Era, denounces this statement as a cover-up, Andy Stapp, national chairman of the American Servicemen's Union, declared today that "the ASU has in its possession the names and addresses of thousands of Vietnam era veterans who are looking for jobs. The money under the Emergency Employment Act was not meant to fill high-qualification vacancies in the City Government, but was specifically designated to provide jobs for veterans and other poor unemployed people. We can provide a name and address of an unemployed veteran for every job avail­ able under the Emergency Employment Act," Immediately following the meeting with Deputy Mayor Hamil­ ton, the American Servicemen's Union xvill be holding a press conference.

THE Ml The Voice Of The American Servicemen's Union /3- I0-7Z-

AMET 'AN SERVICEMEN'S UNION 58 West 25th Street New -ork, New York 10010

' " ''' '""' ' PHONE (212) 675-2520 i;. \

FOR IJP'EDIATE RELEASE

GI BOMBING CASE TO GO TO TRIAL MOVQÎBER 27; ONE INDICTMENT DROPPED

-New Yorkj NY--October 13- On Thursday/October ] 2, it was ,-. enounced in Madison

Wisconsin that the trial of two of the three American Servie eine i ' s Union (ASU)

members that have been accused of bombing installations at Cam] McCoy, Wisconsin will

come to trial en November 27. One of the defendants, Danny Kr •.:. , was dropped from the

indictment. The other two Vietnam war veterans., Tom Chase and ï;eve Geden still face

35 years in prison and $30/000

lie alleged, bombing of a telephone exchange, an electric power transformer and a

base -.water works took place on July 26, ]970. The three defendants, as it later came out in ? court brief filed by the Government-Prosecutor, John Olsen, were immediately

linkod'with the bombings because of their membership in the American Servicemen's

Union, the three then active duty GIs were put under illegal "house arrest" and were

interrogated by the Military Intelligence and FBI, but were never charged. An American

^Servicemen's Uniört lawyer filed a suit of habeas corpus in Federal Court in Milwaukee,

Wisconsin and the three GIs were ordered ret .-ad to their permanent duty station,

-.Fort Earson, Colorado.

Once returned to Fort Carson the three ASU members continued their work for the

ASU, by organizing against the Vietnam 'Aar, racism and the oppression that enlisted

men;and..women receive from the officer caste. One of the defendants, Steve Geden, spent

several weeks in the stockade at Fort Carson for handing out "unauthorized" literature.

r/hen the indictment came down charging the men with bombing and conspiracy, the

charges a -Per Geden I dropped.

Oa n months aft« alleged bombings took place, the

. rncy General, John Mitchell, now cf Watergate fame, read the indictment at a press

conference in Washington, DC. Immediately the threeTTTs were aTTested-^y-thre-F&l-and

incarcerated in the Denver City Jail and later transferred to Madison, Wisconsin

sh£ ' together in chains, -• -••"'

The throe defendants were later released on $20,000 bail. And the defendants were

later discharged from the Army.

The Camp McCoy three have not ceased their union activity since their arrest. The

three of them have been actively involved in building their defense committee, continuing to organize active duty GIs, and have been involved very much in the struggle to win rights for veterans, such as full employment, full unemployment benefits for all veterans until they find work* an end to the "less than honorable" discharge system, free quality education and an end to discrimination based on race or the fact that one is a Vietnam War çra veteran.

Tom Chase, one of the defendants made the following statement:

"The dropping of the indictment against Danny Kreps, on of my co-defendants, is an .'

indication of the frameup nature of this case. D.A. John Olson has admitted that the

reason we were the center of the investagtion was that we were active in the American

Servicemen's Union chapter at Camp McCoy.

'•In their haste to frame us up they disregarded due process so blatantly in Danny's

case that the indictment against him could not stand* We feel that the dropping of this

indictment is a victory, but the fat of the matter is we are all innocent of any crime.

"In Februrary of lat year, when Attorney General Mitchel announced our indictment

at a press conference in Washington, his administration was engaged in a blatant

violation of international law, the invasion of Loas. This invasion involved thousands

of deaths and untold destruction. Enlisted members of the Armed Forces in Vietnam were

in a state of near rebellion because of the suffering the Nixon war policy caused them,

we were indicted then, seven months after .the all edged incidents to serve as a warning

to GIs that thye had better stay in line.

"It is a sign of their complete arrogance that the perpetrators of the most massive

boabings in huaan histroy right now would choose to set a trial date for lower ranking

enlisted nen and attenpt to incarcerate us for 35 years because of a bombing incident.

tfcile we face such a sentence. Air Force General La Valle is nerely reduced in rank and

retired at $18,000 a year for unauthorized bonbings in Vietnan which resulted in untold

death and suffering.

"We are innocent, l.'e are being tried by the real bombers, led by the mad bomber

in the White House."

Andy Stapp, Chairman of the American Servicemen's Union made this statment regarding the trial I "The American Servicemen's Union views the trial of the Camp McCoy 3 as a direct attack on our organization and on the rights of servicemen and women to organize to protect their rights and oppose racism within the military. "V/e also view it in the context of the currently recessed trial of Pvt. Billy Dean Smith, a Black soldier who is being held in solitary confinement at Ft. Ord., CA. where he .'has been for the last eighteen months. Pvt. Smith has been charged with the 'murder' of Wo white officers but has been exonerated on the witness stand by the government's chief witness. We also see a relationahip bewteen this case and the indictments of the six leaders of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War in Tallahassee, Fl. These men were indicted because of the leading role their organization played in organizing of protest against Nixon's war in Miami at the Repulbican Convention. "These trials are all part of a concerted government campaign against the anti-war movement, against dissent in the militaty and against the gowing movment of veterans for economic rightc, , „ ,, _ , , _-j*i "A government that spies on and follows Congressmen and women and opposition canidates will not hestitate to frame up GIs and veteaans when it suits its purpose. FREE ALL OF THE CAMP MC COY THREE ! NOV/ ! ! -30- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, Mar, 19, 1973

ASU DEMANDS HANDS OFF RETURNING RANK-AND-FILE POWS

New York City, New York. From the National office of the American Servicemen's Union

in New York City, ASU organizer Larry Holmes, referring to recent reports that officer

POWs were planning to prefer charges against returning lower ranking POWs, said:

"The real struggle in the service is and always has been a struggle of the lower rank­ ing enlisted men and women against the oppression and racism of the elite, privileged officer caste. Our lower ranking brothers that formed the 'Peace Committe' during their captivity came to understand |:he mistake they had made in fighting against the Vietnamese people as pawns of Wall Street's money war, the Nixon Administration, and the military

Brass." V

The American Servicemen'Î: Union, an organization of rank-and-file servicemen and women, veterans and their dependents has a membership of over 11,000 active duty GIs and thousands of veterans throughout the country. Since its birth in 1968 at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, the ASU has been in the forefront of the struggle against racism, wars of US imperialism, and the oppression of the lower ranks by the officer caste System. The overall purpose of the

American Servicemen's Union is to unionize the military in order to fight for the rights of J : •' i GIs and veterans against the officer bosses. f More recently the American Servicemen's.Union has initiated a campaign of $2500 OR

FIGHT and is calling for a m ass march of veterans on Washington, D.C. to. protest the dis­

crimination in employment for veterans and to demand $2500 compensation for every veteran of the Vietnam War Era, for the time they lost from civilian employment while on active military duty.

Elaborating further, Holmes went on to say: "Even while they were held in captivity

the Brass attempted to pull rank and order the lower ranking POWs to do their bidding.

These same officers, most of whom were fighter bomber pilots who were shot down while dropping thousands of tons of bombs, chemical defoliants, and napalm on the land and peoples of Indochina, are coming vack to brass bands and a hero's welcome. They are parroting the words and speeches written for them by Pentagon officials. In reality, however,

(continued) • - • m they are war criminals who were caught in the act and the Nixon Administration has been shrewdly using the issue of returning POWs to cover up the true criminal nature of the war and to cover up the problems facing returning GIs and veterans."

The American Servicemen's Union applauds the courage of our rank-and-file enlisted brothers who during their detention refused to bow to the orders of the racist officer bosses and saw so well that they had much more in common with the Vietnamese patriots than with the Military Brass.

Furthermore the ASU demands that the Pentagon release its hold on the two already returned enlisted POWs who are being held virtually incommunicado with the Pentagon moni­ toring all telephone calls, censoring their mail, and refusing to allow them to have any contact with the outside world. Truly they can be considered nothing less than POWs in the struggle against the Brass and their sidekicks in the White House.

The ASU will fight alongside its brothers until the Nixon Administration is forced to release them. American Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman New York, N.Y. 10010 58 West 25th Street 212-675-2520

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEU YORK., N.Y,, J>«^- v 25, 1974 •-- The American Servicemen's Union decries today's overturn of the My Lai murder conviction of Army Lt., William Galley as a siap in the face to rank-and-file servicemen and women and veterans of the Vietnam war era« The American Servicemen's Union (ASU) can see through the smokescreer. of "legal technicalities" employed in the court decision and recognizes the overturn as another step in the government's program of whitewashing cr_mes against humanity and granting unconditional pardons to the perpetrators Today's action cannot come as a surprise after the granting of a full pardon to war criminal Richard Nixon, one of the worst butchers of human beings of this century. My Lai came to symbolize U.S„ policy in Indochina, which was one of outright genocide. The fact that only Lt. Galley was brought to trial in the first place, deliberately ignoring the chain of command which originated and passed down orders to liquidate whole villages -•- men, women and children -- constituted a whitewash of U-S. policy of the worst sortt The ASU recognized this at the time of CaJley's trial and called for prosecution of war criminals all the way to the top, President Ford's idea of "justice" has become clearer than ever, Nixon and faithful junior officer Calley, who kicked enlisted men at My Lai to make them fire into a ditch of unarmed civilians, receive pardons. But enlisted men and women who rejected the genocidai. policy of the U.S„ have to ''earn" a "clemency" which is next to meaningless by slaving at substandard wages for up to two years and swearing allegiance to a government that is still infested with war criminals» The American Servicemen's Union utterly rejects this policy and calls once again for universal, unconditional and total amnesty for all war resisters. 30- • ;

THE hi» The Voice Of The American Servicemen's Union Mmesrieeän Servicemen's Union Andrew stapp, chairman 156 Fifth Ave., Rm.633 New York, N. Y. 10010 212-675-6730

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Brass Steps Up Union Busting

NEW YORK, N.Y., April 8 — An order from the First United States

Army, Fort George Meade, Maryland has been brought to the attention of the American Servicemen's Union. The order, signed by Ferdinand

B. Beckette, Major, AGO, stated that although "membership in such an organization is not specifically prohibited by law or regulation. .. many actions associated with collective bargaining tactics are inconsistent with the requirements of military discipline." According to Beckette, "Military status is not the equivalent of a civilian employer-employee relationship....

Acts in furtherance- of a union beyond mere membership which do not conform to the requirements of discipline and good order may be prevented or prohibited by command authority and may be in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice . "

Andrew Stapp, Chairman of the American Servicemen's Union, replied to the First Army Directive by saying, "The First Army Brass admits that membership in the American Servicemen's Union is not illegal. This illegal directive has been sent to lower echelon commanders to encourage them to frame up union members on trumped-up charges. The American Servicemen's

Union is taking appropriate action to insure that none of its members are victimized as a result of this new offensive by the Brass."

(A copy of the order is enclosed with this release)

i nc -30- K ^u '^J %Jr y%3 c The Servicemen's Newspaper