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In Memory of Albert Barnitz Byrne, M.D.

By VVAW

In Memory of Albert Barnitz Byrne, M.D.

We at VVAW never had the opportunity to know Dr. Byrne except through an occasional letter and his constituent, generous contributions to the organization. Our last letter came back marked "deceased"; we regret the loss of this man whose support we had come to value, and send our sympathy to his family and friends.

We quote from one of his letters to VVAW:

"I am a veteran of WWI (the 5th U.S. Cavalry) and the Spanish so-called Civil War. I volunteered for the Second W.W. but was rejected. I volunteered to go with an American Unit to the Spanish Civil War, on the Republican side. I was administrator of a hospital when I asked to be sent to the front and was transferred to the Spanish Republican Army. I was through the Teruel campaign and operated 6 days and nights without rest or food. The valor of the Spanish medicianos fighting for a cause was unbelievable. I contracted tuberculosis there. After return to the U.S.A., I entered the medical service of the U.S. Indian Service and became chief medical officer for the Hopi reservation and District 4 of the Navajo.

I believe in the organization of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. That was a disgrace to our country and an international crime, and those who saw it for what it was were the outstanding soldiers of our day."

Faithfully,
Albert B. Byrne
Sabinal, Texas

We at VVAW thank Dr. Byrne for his faithful support of our efforts, but more than that, we are grateful for his life of dedicated struggle for the people. Greater praise than that we cannot offer.