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Letter to the Editor

By G.I. Joe

I was a medic with 3rd battalion 9th marines 3rd Marine division in 1971 in Okinawa. While on training operation in the jungle we were sitting around a campfire having chow. A few locals were walking around the area because they lived nearby. A little girl about 10 to 12 years old was about 30 feet away yelling, "Cokes, G.I. want Coke Cola" over and over. Suddenly our Lt. ran over and dragged her to the ground and stole her warm cokes and proceeded to pass them out to his men. He had maybe 6 or 7 cokes. There was about 10 of us sitting there and told by Lt. to share the cokes between us. When myself and 2 marines refused to drink the warm coke the Lt. got pissed off and ordered us to have some. The 2 marines took drinks from the bottle and I passed it by. The Lt. looked at me with scorn and had some words with me later away from the men.

Later in the evening, the 2 guys who took the drinks as ordered told me they did not want to get busted by refusing the Lt. I told them I understood. Some of the other guys besides the 2 guys who refused wanted to do something about this. I suggested they write letters to their congressman or local newspapers. I do not know if they did or not, but some of them said, "would you do it for us Doc, you got a way with words." So I wrote several underground newspapers and possibly you guys. I also wrote to my hometown paper, The Los Angeles Free Press and congressman Bob Wilson.

About a month later, my dad sent me the letter that was printed in our hometown newspaper and I got a official letter from Bob Wilson thanking me for bringing this to his attention and I could be sure that he would make appropriate inquiries. I still have those clippings and the letter from Congressman Wilson.

My ego wanted the attention and I was proud of what I had done so I signed my full name on all 4 to 5 letters I wrote. Well, one day I called my family and Dad told me several people called the house and said your son is a communist, your son should be put in jail with rest of those anti-war freaks, I hope your son is killed, and so on. I told Dad I was sorry he had to listen to that. It really upset my mother. Dad said it would stop soon and I told the truth about what I saw and that was good. I was impressed by what Dad said because he was a conservative man who voted for Nixon and could not understand why all these hippies and anti-war groups were making so much trouble in America.

I also have a letter that was sent to my commanding officer in Okinawa with the letter I had written. Whoever sent it was smart enough to leave my name off it. Written on the side of the clipping it said, "This jerk needs castrating. You should write The Los Angeles Free Press putting them straight." The letter is post marked 1972.

I learned a big lesson from that experience! Any letters I wrote after that I signed them G.I. Joe. I was paranoid for quite awhile thinking they might figure it out or someone would give my name to the military.

I trust you guys and have supported you since the 1970. So, whatever you do with this e-mail remember my name is G.I. Joe.

I get medical services from the V.A. in Detroit and I do not need castration. They already took my prostate due to cancer in 2011.

Keep doing what you do. Thank you for your service and your fight for justice for all veterans.

I enjoy The Veteran paper very much and look forward to it. I wish you could have one every month. Be well and thanks.

—G.I. Joe