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GIs In The Struggle

By VVAW

VVAW/WSO BUSTED IN JAPAN

Once again, government harassment has befallen the VVAW/WSO active-duty chapter in Iwakuni Japan. As if the recent off-limits restriction placed on the Hobbit coffeehouse wasn?t enough, the command at the U.S. Marine Corp Air Station in Iwakuni has gone one step further by arresting six Marines (VVAW/WSO members) as they distributed copies of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th.

Once of the station's Commanding Officers apprehended Pvt. Dan Planty, Pfc. Bobby Monfort, and L/Cpl. Paul Norman for circulating the Declaration among the spectators at a 4th of July track meet. Shortly after that, Pfc. Edward Shepherd, Pfc. William Cox, and L/Cpl. Carl Badmington were taken into custody as they were handing the document to servicemen and families leaving the base for the day.

These Marines had requested permission from the Station Commander to make the distribution in commemoration of the holiday. However, on July 3rd, Norman was informally advised that permission had been denied, with no reason being given.

The charges against the six allege a violation of Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. That article prohibits "all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline (and) all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces." VVAW/WSO questions any command which feels that reading our Declaration can be qualified as a discredit to the armed forces.

Ironically, Rear Admiral W. Rogers said in his Independence Day message to Navy and Marine troops in Japan that the Declaration "holds as true today as it did the day it was written.... The Declaration of Independence is a cherished document through which all Americans are obligated to preserve our heritage of freedom." He called upon all Americans to "rededicate themselves to the principles on which our nation was founded."

From the actions taken against these six Marines, we can assume that Adm. Rogers doesn't take his own words seriously. Maybe all of the command hierarchy should take a closer look at the praised document. By doing so, they would discover that their action taken against these Marines directly violates the Declaration's principles, and is an act of blatant repression -- a far cry from "our heritage of freedom."

CARRIER BASED IN JAPAN

With the signing of the peace treaty in Vietnam, Nixon has been going ahead with his doctrine of reducing the number of ground troops in Asia, while making American presence felt just as strongly in other ways. As Admiral Zumwalt says, "...we will need to keep some evidence of power in sight."

Throughout the Third World, the aircraft carrier is that "evidence of power." The decision to home port the USS Midway in Yokosuka, Japan is the first concrete step in such a "post-Vietnam" strategy. Carriers make sense, from military planners points of view. As Norm Polmar of Jane's Fighting Ships says: "5,000 people floating into a harbor tells you the US is interested as hell in the area.... It says power and interest, we have the power to help you or kill you, you bastard."

"The Pentagon today announced that the carrier USS Midway would be based at Yokosuka, Japan, starting next spring. This is believed to be the first time a carrier has been assigned to a home port overseas."
-- New York Times, Dec. 16

Why Yokosuka, Japan? In the far east, the 7th Fleet has 3 important bases: Subic (Philippines), and Sasebo and Yokosuka in Japan. Among these three, only Yokosuka dry-dock number 6 is capable of repairing 60,000 --70,000 ton vessels (the Midway is 51,000 tons. Dry dock 6 is also the only dock which is to be exclusively used by the US. Atsugi Naval Station, a servicing station for carriers, is already beginning construction to handle the extra planes the Midway will bring.

Economically speaking, the Navy is hoping to be able to effect the home-porting with a minimum of expense and new construction of facilities. Since one of the major reasons for the cut-back of overseas bases is the tremendous dollar flow caused, and since this won't be changed much by porting a carrier there, they want to try to get by with existing facilities. It'll never work.

A strong movement in opposition to the proposed home-porting has developed, coordinated by a coalition of new-left groups in Yokosuka. There is complete understanding of the implications of the Midway committing to Japan. A recent poll showed 67% of Yokosuka's young people opposed the base.

Since the announcement of the home-porting plans, there have been demonstrations several times weekly in Yokosuka. Labor groups, student groups, broad-based citizen's groups, have all joined them.

There are also frequent actions carried out jointly by VVAW/WSO/New People's Center and the coalition of Japanese groups. GIs are unconstitutionally denied the right to demonstrate overseas so we have made signs and placards for the demonstrations. We in VVAW/WSO in Yokosuka completely support our Japanese sisters and brothers; we thing we all should be sent home, instead of more US military people coming here!