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Vietnam Vets Day

By VVAW

In its latest attempt to placate veterans, the Nixon administration announced March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day. This day was to honor those who served in Vietnam in spite of the fact that the administration had ignored the issues of jobs, benefits and health care for veterans and families, and in spite of the fact that the war in Indochina continues unabated since January 27, 1973.

It was reported in Jack Anderson's column on March 29, that part of the preparations by the government for this day included: "Some information was received to the effect that the Vietnam Veterans Against the War/Winter Volunteers Organization (sic) and similar organizations may demonstrate at VA hospitals and regional offices on or around March 29. Confrontations may occur in regard to amnesty and upgrading of military discharges and may include demonstrations and sit-ins... any intelligence gathered should be reported to Mr. Bill Rettew, ext. 3093, home phone"... This information came via secret message on March 22 over the VA hot line to regional directors. Thus, the administration recognized their inability in dealing with veterans and feared their own publicity stunt.

As it turned out their intelligence sources were correct. Chapters of VVAW/WSO and other veterans' groups demonstrated across the country at VA facilities and city functions to 'honor the Vietnam veterans.

In New York City VVAW/WSO held a march from the VA to the unemployment center and back to the VA to point out that on Vietnam Veterans Day, veterans could not find jobs, in part because of their bad discharges issued as a result of the veterans' resistance to the war and the military. They entered the VA Regional Office and demanded to speak to the administrator, who finally submitted himself to their questions. He denied knowledge of basic facts about the VA and at one point stated, "I'm only one of 260,000 employees of the VA." This from the Administrator of the New York Area Regional Office!!

In Milwaukee, 17 members walked into the Woods VA Hospital director's office to confront him with demands for a single-type discharge, adequate medical care and full staff, recognition of Post Vietnam Struggle, universal and unconditional amnesty and an end to the war in Indochina. The results of this meeting were the same as in New York City; nothing happened as the administrator tried to pass the buck to Washington. But there was a spirited rally outside the hospital at the same time as the take-over, with a picket line that attracted many of the hospital's patients.

In St. Louis, the members of VVAW/WSO found a different reception. They went to the VA Hospital and the Regional Office and were able to speak with the respective administrators with little problem. In both cases the administrators agreed to meet with them to discuss the possibility of starting a veteran's outreach program under VVAW/WSO direction, in the Soulard district. Even there, the VVAW/WSO members recognized the master public relations job done on them. It remains to be seen what will come of these talks.

In Denver, VVAW/WSO members were refused entrance into the VA building. In Santa Barbara, California, VA officials had agreed beforehand to allow the members into the hospital, only to find that upon their arrival the offices were closed for the day, under orders from Donald Johnson, VA Administrator in Washington DC!

Afterwards, the Santa Barbara chapter walked out of a 'feast' for Vietnam Veterans Day denouncing the hypocrisy of the VA who, while 'wining and dining' them, refused to meet to discuss veterans problems. In San Jose, VVAW/WSO members attended a USO-sponsored celebration and passed out leaflets and sold Winter Soldier. The leaflets spoke of the unending war in Indochina. The chapter also condemned the 'girlie show' provided for the event. One speaker, the USO president, remarked that only about 40-50 veterans, (4 Vietnam vets), showed up for the hoax out of a Vietnam veteran population of 40,000 in the country.

Other actions occurred in Yorba Linda, Santa Cruz, Miami, Chicago and Washington, DC.

As a director of these demonstrations, President Nixon was forced to make a speech two days later announcing the formation of a new council to study the problems of veterans, and appointed Donald Johnson as head of the committee along with the Secretaries of Labor, Defense, etc. These hacks are responsible for all the problems in the first place, along with the business interests that sponsor their criminal acts. This 'concession' on the part of Nixon is as much of a hoax as the Vietnam Veterans Day farce.

Joe Hirsch, of the NYC chapter, summed up the day thusly, "While Nixon has committed more billions for the destruction and slavery of Indochina, the people of the United States suffer more each day with skyrocketing prices for food, spiraling unemployment, inferior medical care and terrible housing. Veterans in particular suffer -- even with honorable discharges! Unemployment for veterans runs rampant and vets with bad discharges have received life sentences. We will fight back!!"