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Supporting Materials for Sir! No Sir!
Susan Schnall Court-Martialled
Last October, Navy nurse Susan Schnall dropped anti-war leaflets from a plane over San Francisco area Navy stations. On October 12. in full uniform she was a leader and a speaker in an anti-war march and rally. She called the Vietnam war "a dirty, filthy war" and demanded, "End the war now, bring our boys home - bring our boys home alive."
Her anger against the war had been deepened by seeing and caring for GIs wounded and crippled in Vietnam.
On Jan. 31, she was tried at the Treasure Island Naval Base for the above actions which, the Navy said, would "impair the morale, loyalty and discipline of the members of the armed forces... conduct unbecoming an officer."
She told the court calmly, "I felt GIs should know they had the right to express their freedom of speech under the Constitution by coming out against the war in Vietnam."
The Navy court convicted her and, on February 3, sentenced her to 6 months at hard labor and a discharge. According to the Navy, however, she will not actually be jailed, but she will be dismissed from the service.
The Bond, vol. 3, no. 2