RedCeltic
18th March 2002, 17:45
To me, I had always considered the Intrepid four (men who deserted the US Navy during Vietnam) as heroes. I recently saw a story about them in a book about 1968, and thought Id share their story Theres a great photo on one of the pages, of Michael David Haire bearded youthful face, hand in his pocket of a patched up pair of old jeans.. Gesturing with his left hand standing in front of a picture of Chairman Mao.. The caption says it all Capitalism is like a Tiger devouring itself.
The Intrepid Four where among the first to arrive. They had jumped ship- the aircraft carrier Intrepid in Japan in October 1967. They reached Sweden just in time for the New Year, in quest of a new life.
The young sailors had made the ultimate protest renouncing their country because they believed the Vietnam War was, Stupid, cruel and immoral. They went to Sweden, said 19 year old Richard Bailey of Florida, because it is neutral and the neutral line conforms with our views. We want to get away from extreme nationalism and ideologies, both East and West.
In succeeding weeks, more Americans fled military life in an exodus that became a strange sidelight to an unpopular war. By mid July more than 100 were in Sweden. Others sought haven in France. A few turned up in other countries. Most of them except for the four from the Intrepid, came from Army units in Europe.
They where a mixed lot. Fuzzy faced youngsters and bearded youths with sideburns. College graduates, Starry eyed idealists and hard eyed activists. Men who were firm in their convictions and men who where searching for truth. Sons of a former Marine Sergeant, an industrial executive, college professors. An air force reservist who flew for the United States.
They refused to regard themselves as deserters. We are protesters, moral refugees from the United States, said William C. Jones, A Missourian who was chairman of an organization of American servicemen in Sweden. As Michael David Haire, 19 of South Carolina saw it: We fall into two categories. Those who are convinced the United States will blow up the world. There are others who think the United States can be saved before this catastrophe happens.
The war was the primary motivation but racial discrimination figured, too Im against the Afro American fighting in Vietnam said Dennis James Dotson 22 a Texan. In my opinion, we are only puppets for white Americans. Youll be treated no better when you return than when you left. In the view of Edward Johnson, 21 of Ohio, They give you hell in the American Army if you are black. They are after you all the time.
They where helped primarily by two organizations, a Swedish Vietnam Committee, and a West German militant group known as The Front for National Liberation. FNL sent agents to bars around military bases and helped soldiers escape to Sweden.
In the end a prominent Swede said it best when he said, There is considerable sympathy now for the American defectors. But in the long run, few people will worry about their fate. They are finding already that life in Sweden is much tougher than they expected. And as time goes on they find something much worse, what a sad thing it is to be a man without a country.
(Edited by RedCeltic at 11:47 am on Mar. 18, 2002)
The Intrepid Four where among the first to arrive. They had jumped ship- the aircraft carrier Intrepid in Japan in October 1967. They reached Sweden just in time for the New Year, in quest of a new life.
The young sailors had made the ultimate protest renouncing their country because they believed the Vietnam War was, Stupid, cruel and immoral. They went to Sweden, said 19 year old Richard Bailey of Florida, because it is neutral and the neutral line conforms with our views. We want to get away from extreme nationalism and ideologies, both East and West.
In succeeding weeks, more Americans fled military life in an exodus that became a strange sidelight to an unpopular war. By mid July more than 100 were in Sweden. Others sought haven in France. A few turned up in other countries. Most of them except for the four from the Intrepid, came from Army units in Europe.
They where a mixed lot. Fuzzy faced youngsters and bearded youths with sideburns. College graduates, Starry eyed idealists and hard eyed activists. Men who were firm in their convictions and men who where searching for truth. Sons of a former Marine Sergeant, an industrial executive, college professors. An air force reservist who flew for the United States.
They refused to regard themselves as deserters. We are protesters, moral refugees from the United States, said William C. Jones, A Missourian who was chairman of an organization of American servicemen in Sweden. As Michael David Haire, 19 of South Carolina saw it: We fall into two categories. Those who are convinced the United States will blow up the world. There are others who think the United States can be saved before this catastrophe happens.
The war was the primary motivation but racial discrimination figured, too Im against the Afro American fighting in Vietnam said Dennis James Dotson 22 a Texan. In my opinion, we are only puppets for white Americans. Youll be treated no better when you return than when you left. In the view of Edward Johnson, 21 of Ohio, They give you hell in the American Army if you are black. They are after you all the time.
They where helped primarily by two organizations, a Swedish Vietnam Committee, and a West German militant group known as The Front for National Liberation. FNL sent agents to bars around military bases and helped soldiers escape to Sweden.
In the end a prominent Swede said it best when he said, There is considerable sympathy now for the American defectors. But in the long run, few people will worry about their fate. They are finding already that life in Sweden is much tougher than they expected. And as time goes on they find something much worse, what a sad thing it is to be a man without a country.
(Edited by RedCeltic at 11:47 am on Mar. 18, 2002)