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Operation Dewey Canyon IV: A Limited Incursion into Congress 'Land'

By VVAW

WED. THRU SAT., 12TH THRU 15TH MAY

LETTERS OF SUPPORT

I wholeheartedly support the efforts of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War to alert those in Washington that they are not giving up their flight against Agent Orange. It is a tribute to the Vietnam vets who doggedly-pursue this cause.

This reflects a continued un-willingness to try and comprehend the uniqueness of the Vietnam veteran. In many ways, it is a generational problem. The Vietnam veteran did not fight in a war with clearly identified goals, where good and evil were easily distinguishable.

Your goals, on the other hand, are clearly identifiable and laudable.

I with you the best of luck in your "Counterattack."

Tom Loftus
Majority Leader
Wisconsin

I am pleased to announce that the National Association of Concerned Veterans board has voted to endorse Dewey Canyon IV.

It is NACV opinion that any peaceful attempts to keep the plight of American's veterans visible to the citizens and politicians of this country are worth while and deserve the support of all who say they represent veterans.

I wish to invite the entire VVAW membership to join with us at our 15th annual convention in New Haven, CT, June 17-20, 1982. Both VVAW and NACV share common interests, goals, and memberships.

I look forward to continuing the long-held friendship enjoyed by our two groups in the years gone by.

Sincerely,
Thomas Hoiles
President, NACV

I would like to say that on behalf of my members and myself, we, the Virginia Vietnam Veterans Corps gladly endorse and support "Operation Dewey Canyon IV" Furthermore, we pledge to VVAW our help in spreading the message and literature about "DC IV" to all concerned persons in our locale.

Publicity materials such as posters, flyers and newsletters are needed....

Very truly yours,
Wes Caton
Acting Commander
Virginia Vietnam Veteran Corps

Dear VVAW:

President Winpisinger has assigned me to work with you in a cooperative effort to offer whatever assistance we might be capable of toward endorsing your activities and demonstrations in Washington, DC on May 12 through 16, 1982.

Either I or someone from my department intend to be at your National Planning Meeting to be held in Chicago on February 13 and 14, 1982, to become more familiar with your program.

If you need an official letter of endorsement from President Winpisinger, please let me know as soon as possible.

Fraternally,
George J Robinson
Director, Occupational Safety & Health and Community Services
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

Dear VVAW,

Best wishes for "Operation Dewey Canyon IV." The enclosed check will help get someone to the big event.

Sincerely,
C. Julstrom
Macomb, IL

Dear VVAW:

Thank you for your letter and accompanying material on the upcoming activities scheduled for the week of May 12. We shall mark it on our calendar and send a delegate if we possible can.

Let me indicate that we do support your organization and its efforts for the Vietnam Veterans.

We extend our best wises for every success in this endeavor.

Most Sincerely,
Rev Willie Barrow
National Director and Special Assistant to the President, Operation PUSH

Dear VVAW:

I am pleased to write to say that the Peace Center Board of Directors fully endorsed the May, 1982, activities, and that the Center will publicize DC IV in the newsletter. In fact, we are planning a special issue on veterans in April or May, so please keep us informed.

Enclosed is a donation to conver your expenses for mailing and such to us at the Center. Keep up the good work.

In Peace,
Elise Fisher
Washington Peace Center

Dear Friends,

Mike Sutton, the VVAW person in Washington, asked if we would be interested in endorsing the DC IV activities, and if we were, to write and let you know. We are, and we did. Consider this, then, an endorsement by the Community for Creative Non-violence, for what little it may be worth.

Thanks for your good work and for your ongoing commitment to the struggle. Keep us you to date on developments, if you can.

Peace to y'all,
Mitch Snyder
Community for Creative Non-Violence

DC IV PERMITS FLASH

In early February, two representatives of the VVAW National Office and the Washington, DC coordinator for VVAW met with 12 police representatives in Washington DC. The police represented various Washington police agencies including the Capitol Police, the DC police, the Park Police, the Secret Service, and the Department of the Interior Police. The meeting was arranged in order to finalize permits for Dewey Canyon IV.

VVAW got almost everything we asked for! Permits for all the marches, demonstrations, picket lines, and rallies are now cleared; we have permits to use the Mall and put up three large tents, plus permission for 50 people to stay there 24 hours a day. Negotiations are still going on for the right to sleep on the Mall; other negotiations are continuing for alternative housing.

VVAW representatives also met with three members of Congress-Cardiss Collins of Illinois, Ron Dellums of California, and Henry Reuss of Wisconsin, all of whom are writing letters to the Mayor of Washington urging that the City of Washington allow VVAW to use a school near the Mall for housing.

DEWEY CANYON IV, WASHINGTON, MAY 12-15, 1982 JOIN US!!!

DCN SUPPORT
WEST COAST ACTION

Members of the San Bernadino VVAW Chapter and others in the Southern California area are planning a demonstration in Southern California to correspond with Dewey Canyon IV which will be taking place at the same time in Washington, DC.

Faced with the same problems as vets everywhere—particularly lack of money—vets decided that they wanted to take part in Operation Dewey Canyon IV even though they could not afford the lengthy trip to Washington. So they came up with the idea of a DC IV, Southern California version so that veterans who could not afford either the money or the time to go to Washington could still take part.

Plans for the exact activities are still being worked out. For further information contact Lee Lubinsky, 24818 Redlands, Blvd, San Bernardino, CA 92408.

BUILDING DCN IN LOCAL UNIONS

The Milwaukee VVAW Chapter launched its campaign to build Dewey Canyon IV with outreach to local unions and local posts of veterans' organizations. In Wisconsin many VVAW members are public employees and belong to AFSCME. We approached union locals for endorsements and money and, in Milwaukee, Local 423 of District Council 48 of AFSCME has already endorsed Dewey Canyon IV. In addition to local unions, outreach has also begun to groups like the American Legion and VFW, despite not-so-close relations over the years. But at a presentation fo one local post at the end of November, we presented information on Agent Orange, veterans' cutbacks and Dewey Canyon IV and, to our surprise, they loved it and will consider giving money in April. The moral of the story is start the outreach now!

ENDORSERS (PARTIAL LIST)
DEWEY CANYON IV-WASH.DC

Vietnam Veterans Against The War; National Association of Black Veterans; National Association of Concerned Veterans; Retired Hunger Strikers; Vets Coalition of Southern California; Vets Crisis Hotline of Los Angeles; Black Veterans for Social Justice of Brooklyn, NY; Country Joe MacDonald; Al Santoli, author of Everything We Had; Pete Seeger; Tad Foster, creator of "The Vietnam Funny Book"; President William Winpisigner of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; Tom Loftus, Majority Leader, Wisconsin State Assembly; Center for Creative Non-Violence of Washington, DC; Washington Peace Center; Bob Chenowith, ex Vietnam POW; United Professionals of Wisconsin; Idaho Vietnam Vets Association; Vietnam Veterans Corps of Virginia; O'Hare Local, American Postal Workers Union; Local 423, District 48, AFSCME; Operation PUSH; Agent Orange Victims of New Jersey; Monmouth County (NJ) Peace and Equal Rights Committee; Veterans of the Vietnam War, Salt Lake City; Swords Into Plowshares of San Francisco; Bill Davis, Chairman, Illinois Vietnam Veterans Civic Council; Vets for Peace; Jack Gladden, Student Body President, university of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Incarcerated Veterans Project of San Francisco.