AWOL/Desertion 1965-72
[Protests and Demonstrations] [Combat Refusal and Refusal of Orders] [AWOL and Desertion]
[Papers, Coffeehouses and Organizations] [Riots and Rebellions] [Harassment and Repression]
1967
January
- The Cleveland Plain Dealer publishes an interview with Pvt. Edward Johnson, a deserter living in Sweden.
April
- Roy Jones, a deserter, offered asylum in Sweden.
May
- Pvt. Philip Wagner deserts to protest US involvement in Southeast Asia.
May 20
- Louis Armfield, a deserter, given asylum in France.
May 27
- The Army admits more than 700 GIs have deserted because of their opposition to the Vietnam war.
June 26
- Terry Klug goes AWOL to avoid shipment to Vietnam.
September
- Richard Perrin deserts in Germany and makes his way to France.
- Seaman David Crane goes AWOL to avoid service in Vietnam.
October 23
- Four American sailors (Craig Anderson, John Barella, Richard Bailey and Michael Lindner) jump ship when their carrier 'The Intrepid' was in Yosuka, Japan. The men sought the aid of a Japanese peace organization which assisted them in making a filmed interview. The four then flew to the Soviet Union which aided them in finding asylum in the traditionally neutral Sweden where they intend to actively work for peace.
November
- Steve Mason goes AWOL to avoid shipping out to Vietnam.
November 21
- Intrepid 4 appear on Soviet television to condemn US involvement in Vietnam.
December 9
- Dick Perrin (in an article in The New York Times) announces he would not return to duty until the United States got out of Vietnam.
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1968
January 24
- Pfc. Terry Wilson deserts to avoid shipment to Vietnam.
February
- An article, published in The Ally, claims there are more than 100 deserters living in France, 25 in Sweden and others scattered across Yugoslavia, Switzerland and Japan.
- Liberation News Service reported that the US military estimates there are hundreds of GIs in Bay Area who have gone AWOL in opposition to the War in Vietnam.
February 29
- Frederick Parese deserts to avoid shipment to Vietnam.
March 27
- Fred Patrick goes AWOL from El Centro Naval Air Station in protest of Vietnam War.
- American deserters in Stockholm release statement demanding national independence for Vietnam.
May 4
- Sp/4 Michael Branch, a Black GI, deserts the army and joins the ranks of the Viet Cong to help in their fight for their independence from foreign domination.
- 6 American deserters (Joseph Knett, Phillip Callicotte, Mark Shapiro, Edwin Arnett, Charles Kennette and Terry Whitmore) hold press conference in Moscow to denounce the War.
May 25
- Terry Whitmore + 9 other deserters given asylum in Sweden.
September
- Defense Department lists 135 US Servicemen as absentees from the US Armed Forces living in Canada.
November
- Portland - AWOL Marine, Glen Davis, announces his resignation from the Marine Corps at a news conference.
December 24
- Keith Mather and Walter Pawlowskli escape from the Presidio and move to Canada.
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1969
January
- Richard Perrin leaves France to work with AMEX in Canada.
January 16
- Terry Klug returns to US and turns himself over to military authorities at JFK Airport.
March 5
- Senate Committee reports that in the year ending June 30 1968 “a GI deserted on average once every ten minutes” and a GI went AWOL approximately every 3 minutes.
April 16
- Premier of documentary film Deserter U.S. in Stockholm.
April 29
- Steve Gilbert goes AWOL after fighting shipping out orders since November 1968.
August 7
- GI Press Service reports that 90% of GIs in Fort Dix Stockade are guilty of only having gone AWOL.
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1970
June
- Pentagon reports it is missing 80,000 GIs.
December 16
- Sgt. James Henry Grant given political asylum in West Germany.
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1971
July
- The Pentagon reports that in 1970, nearly 1 out of every 12 (89,088) GIs in the Army deserted. A 300% increase since 1966. 228,797 others went AWOL. The Brass also admit there were 209 reported fraggings of officers and NCOs in Vietnam that year.