Four more GIs have risked the consequences of a possible court- martial to register their oposition to the war in Vietnam. The soldiers stationed at Fort Sheridan, Ill, sent a letter June 1 to Capt. Howard Levy - the Army doctor found guilty June 3 of refusing to train Green Beret medics - calling US action in Vietnam a "rotten, imperialist war."
Two weeks earlier, six soldiers stationed at Ft. Sill Okla, sent a similar communication to Levy . Two of the soldiers hzave since been court-martialed on different charges.
In the sewcond message, the Ft. Sheridan Soldiers wrote:
"we members of the U.S. Army wish to indicate our wholehearted support for your stand against ther rotten imperialist war in Southeast Asia.
"Your principled position in refusing to become an accomplice to the atrocities committed in Vietnam, by the U.S. is in marked contrast to the cynical minority in political and militarey power. Evidently a million or more civilian casualties in Vietnam is not considered any sort of crime by the present leaders of the U.S. - perhaps this figure is par for the course in a 'freedom war.' It is indicative of the present situation that while these hypocrites are slaughtering tens of thousands of GIs and Vietnamese in the name of 'freedom,' you were not permitted the elementary right to fully state your defense at a trial.
"Your struggle against the repressive machinery of the armed forces is an inspiration to GIs everywhere.
The letter waqs signed by PFC Robert G. Dietz, PFC Robert M. Barknam, Pvt. Rodney A. Jackson and Pvt Eugene P. Melnick
The Bond, no. 2