Smoke Signals, Friday, January 30. 1970—Page 7
Three criteria for evaluating the 'Pinkville’ incident
By ROSBON D. B. WHEBEE
Last November, the Department of the
Army announced that an investigation was
being conducted into the alleged massa
cre by a U. S. Army unit of “several hund
reds” of civilian citizens of My Lai Hamlet,
Song My District, Republic of Viet Nani
(RVN), in March, 1968.
According to the Army, information per
taining to the massacre was first reported
during the summer of 1969 by a discharged
enlisted member of another unit, (Special
ist Fourth Class) Ronald Ridenhour. The
informant “heard” about the incident from
sev^al buddies.
National and world attention was focused
the incident following the release of a
^ratement by a former war correspondent
and of pictures taken by a combat photo
grapher allegedly at the scene of the atro
city.
Two former enlisted members of the unit,
C Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry, The
Americal Division, were also interviewed
by the TV news media. One stated that
numerous atrocities were committed and,
in fact, that the civilian populace of My
Lai Hamlet was massacred in cold blood;
'.he other denied knowledge of any atrocity.
Subseauentlv, the Denartment of the Army
has formally charged 1st Lieutenant William
L. Calley, Jr. a Platoon Leader of one pla
toon of Company C, with the murder of 109
civilians.
This charge is based on the military con
cept that the senior man in charge of a
unit is responsible for all that happens and
fails to happen within that unit, not on the
fact that he is suspected of actually killing
109 people. Three of Lt. Galley’s enlisted
personnel have been charged in the same
incident with a multiplicity of crimes
ranging from murder to rape.
As a consequence of the publicity given
the alleged massacre, worldwide indig
nation has evolved regarding the incident.
Every conscientious citizen should abhor
such atrocities if, in fact, they occurred.
Indeed, such conduct by American Armed
Forces personnel is reprehensible and con
trary to the Articles of War established by
the Geneva Convention. But, until Lt. Calley
and his subordinates are given a fair triai.
Girls’ volleyball
is summarized
By JULIE HOSKINS
The Chowan College Varsity Girls Volley
ball Team competed with N. C. Wesleyan
College, University of North Carolina,
Campbell College, and East Carolina Uni
versity and ended the season with two wins
and two losses.
The Junior Varsity matched the season’s
standings of the Varsity with two wins and
two losses.
High scorer*ifor'^the Vitfsity team was
Karen Lynch with 32 points for the season,
averaging 8 points per match and 3 points
per game.
High scorer for the Junior Varsity was
Lorraine Brinkley with 22' points for the
season, averaging points per match and
3 points per game.
The Varsity team consisted of co-captains
Karen Lynch and Diane Williams, and
members Dee Shumaker, Jeannie Gay,
Gayle Morris, Deborah Dawson, Susan Long,
and Joy Carroll.
The Junior Varsity members were Jean
Massey, Mariam Walters, Lorraine Brinkley,
Earline Brown, Betty Hurdle, Pat Crosby,
Jenny Wong, and Martha Casilear.
Manager for the team was Arnette
Cahoon.
Basketball squad
for girls named
By JULIE HOSKINS
Members of the Girls Varsity Basketball
Squad have been announced.
They are Karen Lynch and Diane Williams,
co-captains, Vicki Gilbert, Jeannie Gay,
Deborah Dawson, Amy Wynn, Susan Long,
Gail Morris, Irene Flynn, Martha Dodd and
Gloria Simon.
The manager is Amette Cahoon.
Writer needed
There is no sports coverage in this issue
of Smoke Signals for the sports writer
resigned. Anyone interested in writing sports
for the paper please contact Pauline Robin
son at graphic arts.
Lawrence Speaks
XJ
k
it is the responsibility of the American
public to consider these individuals innocent.
A military investigation into the facts
surrounding the My Lai incident is being
conducted by a team headed by Lt. Gen.
William Peers, as provided for by Article
32 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice
(UCMJ).
The defendents will be tried, if the evid
ence is sufficient (hear-say evidence is not
admissable in a military court), by a Gen
eral Courts Martial for violation of numer
ous article of the UCMJ; it is the duty of
this court, and only this court, to determine
the guilt or innocence of these men.
Regardless of the findings of the court,
there are several criteria which the American
citizen should apply in an evaluation of the
“Pinkville” case. The first area consists
of a consideration of the facts pertaining
to the mission of Charley Company: what
the mission was, who authorized it, and the
time element.
Company C was ordered to conduct a
“search and destroy” operation in the Song
My area, a Viet Cong-North Vietnamese
Army (VC-NVA) strong-hold since the
days of the French Indo-China War. My Lai
is some seventy-five miles southwest of
Da Nang and near the section of north-
south route one which was the infamous
“Street Without Joy” of the French era.
March, 1968, witnessed the continuance
of the most widespread and sustained enemy
offensive of the war (the “TET” offensive.)
Company C had recently suffered heavy
casulties in the Song My area on two pre
vious occasions. Their mission on this oper
ation was to “search the area for enemy
personnel, war materials, including caches
of food, and enemy sympathizers and to
capture all individuals, confiscate all materi
als, and destroy all buildings which might
be of potential value to the enemy.”
In the case of armed resistance, the
American unit was required to engage and
destroy all opposition unless that opposi
tion voluntary surrendered. (In a combat
situation, it is exceedingly difficult to deter
mine whom, if anyone, wishes to surrender;
in a fire-fight, only the foolish would attempt
to make this determination.)
The village and the landing-zone (for the
assault helicopters) were “prepped” by an
American air strike. This mission and the
air strike could only have been ordered
for an objective located in a “free-fire
zone”. Final approval of “all” free-fire
zones comes from the appropriate comman
der of the Army of the Republic of Viet
Nam (ARVN) unit in charge of that area.
In the case of My Lai and Song My Dist
rict, final approval would come from ARVN I
Corps (there are four Corps Tactical 2k>nes
, in RVN) Headquarters, commanded by a
Vietnamese lieutenant general. The Amer
ican forces were conducting a tactical oper
ation with the approval of and, probably, at
the request of the ARVN Corps (3orhmander.
In a free-fire zone, the civilian population
is repeatedly warned via psychological
warfare operations (aerial and ground loud
speaker broadcasts and leaflet distribution)
to leave the area, to seek government pro
tection provided refugees, and that, should
they remain in the area, they will be con
sidered to be enemies of the Government of
Viet Nam (GVN).
Second, in view of the circumstances of
the conduct of the operation, that the village
was subjected to aerial bombardment and
strafing and that Charley Company did re
ceive hostile fire from the village immediate
ly after insertion, it would be virtually im
possible to determine the number of “inno
cent” civilians killed by the air attack and
the company’s combat assault.
It is significant that official GVN sources
have labeled the allegations “Viet Cong
propoganda.” Granted, the GVN is aware
of its ultimate responsibility as the approving
authority of a free-fire zone, but GVN offici
als have not made a practice of trying to
save the American forces from embarrass
ment in the past.
It is an ancient ploy of insurgents to blame
the opposition for their own actions, espec
ially in an area where the popular sentiment
is sympathetic to their cause. Lest the Amer
ican public and the world forget, at the
same time that the My Lai operation occurr
ed, the VONVA were slaughtering, by ad
mission, some two thousand civilians in
the ancient capital of Hue.
Numerous other incidents of VC-NVA
atrocities have occurred throughout Viet
Nam. Was My Lai unique? Why did Amer
ican boys murder civilians in cold blood
there and nowhere else. Or was the “mass
acre” the product of the age-old soldier
tendency to hyperbole once the battle is
won—the G. I. “war story?”
Also significant is the fact that the Amer
ican government pays the family of each
Vietnamese civilian killed accidentally by
American forces a death gratuity which
frequently is in excess of $12,000, a vast
fortune by Vietnamese economic standards.
Naturally, when interviewed, it behooves
the surviving relatives to declare that their
loved ones were killed by the Americans.
There is no record of a death gratuity being
paid by the Viet Cong or NVA.
A third area for consideration in an evalu
ation of the “Pinkville” case concerns the
final disposition of the case. Once the Gen
eral Court has reached a verdict, should it
be established that civilians were in fact
killed, either in cold blood or by accident,
what are the legal precedents available to
determine where the burden of guilt lies?
There are several World War II preced
ents in military justice which dealt swift and
harsh retribution to individuals convicted
of crimes, including murder and rape,
against the civilian populace of enemy
nations.
But, should it be concluded that the civil
ians were killed accidentally, it is conceiv
able that the “coldwar” oponents of the
United States will cite the international
law precedent of the Nuremberg Trials
(for which there was no precedent.)
Of course, the United States will be de
clared a war-monger and the proponent of
the murder of “innocent women and child
ren.” A parallel may be drawn to the Nazi
German subordinates, convicted at Nurem
berg and subsequent trials, and similar
justice demanded for Lt. Calley and his men.
It will be ignored by the loudest pro
testers that the former situation involved
genocide and the latter, at worst, can only
be termed hdmocide. In any event, the
prestige of the United States throughout the
world will be the greatest victim of the
“Pinkville” incident.
It is unlikely that many of the outraged
citizens of the world will consider, or even
care, that it was the ARVN which designat
ed My Lai as a free-fire zone; or that the
VC-NVA have blamed the Free World Forces
for Communist atrocities, as a propoganda
stunt, on numerous previous occasions.
Skydivers get club
approved
By PAULINE BELL ROBINSON
Editor
Chowan has approved an Aviation and
Parachute Club which already has 47 mem
bers and a written constitution.
The club will use the Halifax County Air
port in Roanoke Rapids. W. B. Copen-
haber of Roanoke Rapids is in charge of
the flying phase and Paul C. Lewter, also of
Roanoke Rapids is in charge of parachuting.
Each participant is covered by insur
ance; however, unless the participant is
under 16, no parental consent is necessary.
The jumpers are required to be members
of the U. S. Parachuting Association pro
viding them with $10,000 policy, liability and
property insurance. Persons under 21 must
have parental approval and be notarized.
All members are required to sign state
ments releasing Chowan College from lia
bility in event of injury or death from acti
vities. Parents must approve the policy and
sign a statement granting permission.
Billy Graham is the sponsor.
But Mother it's my teddy bear!
Seen in their reward winning performance as college players in “The Curioiu
Savage” are Ed "Wooten, professor of math; Sarah Tankard, professor in the
nursing department and Mrs. Esther Whitaker, professor of religion.
Things change: Thurston
By FRANK GRANGER
Ralph Thurston has had a longer-than-
average association with Chowan College.
Ralph entered Chowan in 1963 after gradu
ation from high school. He quit school and
went to work for a semester and then re
turned in 1965, when he plaved football.
In 1966 Ralpn again left Cnowan, this
time to enlist in the Navy tor a two-year
hitch. While in the Navy he served in Viet
nam at Da Nang and Quan Tri. Now he’s
back and ready to hit the books again after
almost a four-year absence.
What changes did he notice on his return?
He says the most apparent are the changes
made in the physical growth of the campus.
“It’s hard to believe this is the same
school. When I first entered Chowan we held
all our classes in the gym and science build
ing. Marks Hall wasn’t even built.
“In 1963 Jones Drive wasn’t built. The
present walkway was used as a road then.
^ I can’t remember if West Hall was built
thenrtjuFT do laiow the student center was
in the BSU building. The annex to the cafe
teria hadn’t been added then.
“Of course the library wasn’t built. We
used the old east wing of the Columns build
ing. Stone Hall was the music building and
behind that was the old football building
which they tore down.
“A lot of the new additions have just been
built recently. The baseball field is new and
the tennis courts are new. 1 don’t believe
the Infirmary was here then either.”
Ralph is majoring in pre-education and
hopes to coach football in college. He says
he doesn’t think the number of courses
for his major has increased but that there
are more instructors and more doctors here
now.
“I may be wrong, but I think there were
just as many students back then. We had a
lot of day students. I was amazed that they
had a place to teach them all.”
He says it is hard to compare the amount
of school spirit then and now. “We always
had a lot of students follow us on football
trips. I think the win-loss records are about
the same.
“I think I would be hissed in my opinion,
but I don’t think the student body is as
friendly as it was in 1963. Maybe it is be
cause of my age and I don’t fit in as I did
then. I guess I don’t have as much in com
mon with the rest of the students now.
“The most striking change is the attitude
of the administration toward the students.
When I was here before a student couldn't
drink off campus or even at home. Now they
seem to be getting more liberal.
“W^couldn’t dance on campus theaailber,
but we did have “socials” off campus. I
remember some real good concerts we had
back then. We had the “Four Seasons’
twice!”
Ralph didn’t think there were many things
that hadn’t changed, but Murfreesboro
hadn’t. “I can still remember seeing some
of the same people in town. The only new
buildings I can see are the Pub and Belk
Tyler’s.
“Mr. Marable and some students are,
still here. I don’t think the girls rules have
changed much since 1963,” he said.
Ralph is the son of Mr. and Mrs. R. H.
Thurston of Richmond, Va. and is head
resident of the Superintendents Barracks.
Students stage
riot for 'Dimes’
Lee Dunn, Pete Sykes, Bucky Griffin prepare signs
Mr. Lawrence, Pastor of Forest Hills
Baptist Church, Raleigh, North Carolina,
nd President of the North Carolina Bap-
!ist State Convention, brought a message
to the Spring Convocation of Chowan Col
lege on the subject “Onward Into The
Seventies.”
After describing the potential of the mar
velous future which lies ahead of the world,
he asked the question “What of your future
as an individual as you adjust to this mar
velous new world?” He then focused attent
ion upon the needs of the individual and
upon the principles which in all ages have
contributed to successful and fruitful liv
ing.
These principles he enumerated as: first,
a well-defined purpose for living. In this
connection he made the observation that
today in our age of affluence, most of us
have plenty to live “with” but nothing to
hve “for.” He added — in the second place —
that our puppose must be worthy enough to
liberate the best within us and must be
within the context of a worthy sense of
values. He underscored the truth that the
only purpose worthy of a Christian is to
seek and to do the will of God in service for
humanity.
Chowan College students were in a "fight
ing” mood Thursday as they marched
around campus and bashed in cars.
However, there was no need to call out
the State Police as the students were demon
strating to show their support of the March
of Dimes Campaign to fight birth defects.
Activities included the march, “car bash”
and social hour were scheduled through the
combined efforts of Chowan’s Student Gov
ernment Association and co-chairmen for
the Hertford County March of Dimes cam
paign, Charles Helms and Bill Sowell. Both
are Chowan professors.
The march began at 3 p.m. from in front
of Thomas Cafeteria. After proceeding
around Jones Drive, the students continued
to the practice football field, site of the
“car bash.”
Located on the field were several wrecked
cars with names of professors painted on
the cars. For each 10 cent contributkm ta
the March of Dimes, a student was given
the opportunity to smash a car with a
sledgehammer. A quarter purchased three
bashes.
Helms said, “The students wanted to show
their concern in the fight against birth de
fects and their wUlingness to help pubHein
the campaign through the march aiid other
activities is commendable.”
Helms said that Lee Dunn, president of
the SGA, arranged for the social hour
following the “car bash” in the gymnas
ium. A band was featured.
Helms had “big pot” on hand for contri
butions.
f/
Ready for 'Birth defects’ protest march
Tommy Hoggard awaits march