NO THANK YOU,MR Mc NAMARA

When I was 17 I joined the U.S.MARINES. Part of my boot camp training was standing at attention at the foot of my bunk, repeating the chain of command. Mc Namara was part of that chain. "Sir, the secretary of Defense is the honorable Robert S. Mc Namara Sir!" Boy, were they wrong!!

In August 1965 I land in Chu Lai on Operation Starlight. I saw my first combat doing what I was ordered to do. I saw 17 fellow MARINES die in one half-track before they even reached l and Later on ,in another operation, our sergeant, Sgt. Harris, just two steps before me, stepped on a 155mm landmine. The top of Him came down less the bottom and I thought, "There but for the grace of GOD go I."

These are just a few of my experiences in Vietnam. Letting them be killed then was not enough for him. Now let's hurt those who still pay the price of war so people like him can feel better and make a few bucks, too, by writing a book. Try giving that money to the families of Vietnam Veterans killed in action.

I think Mc Namara should have taken his views to the grave. That would have been the honorable thing to do. Hurting us further at this time in our lives is Unforgivable!!

Chaplain Howard Flexer

Danielson 4/20/95

NOTE: Sent into Letters to the Editor Norwich Bulletin. won Leading Letter of April. I was selected by their editorial board based on Quality of writing, Strength of opinion and Clarity of expression.