|
|
|
||||||||
|
Now That Terror Has Struck At Your Front Door
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Written By:
Bradley D. Chapline
Page Two
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I focused on a particular young Vietnamese lady with her newborn infant in her arms while this boat capsized and sank into the South China Sea. I was mortified to say the least. I was then subjected to listening to the massive cheers from the sailors and Marines on the flight deck of the ship while the Vietnamese refugee boat sank. It was at this time that I lost all respect for the so-called American way of life. I viewed the Captain of the Ship and the Executive Officer as cold-blooded murderers and every sailor and Marine on the flight deck of the ship as condoners of this atrocious act.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Are We Really About Liberty And Justice For All?
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I took photographs of the entire incident. I wrote a detailed report of the occurrences and mailed this package to my mother's residence in the Baltimore / Washington area. I asked my mom to forward this package to our Senator's office. The package never made it there. My mother had turned me into military authorities.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I was quite shocked when the "Master At Arms" and his team of thugs stormed my living compartment and violently hauled me off to the ship's brig. Being called a traitor, I received a brutal ass whipping prior to being thrown behind bars. The brig was extremely cold and damp. I was placed on three days bread and water and the 4th day I was to receive one hot meal. I didn't eat anything at all. The guards threw everything on the floor of my cell. I couldn't bear to eat my food off this floor even though I was getting quite sick. The cell floor was mostly covered with rodent droppings.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Executive Officer paid me a so-called Health and Welfare visit. He told me I would be court-martialed, sentenced and have my trial reviewed all by the Captain of the Ship. He then informed me I would be doing some serious time in Leavenworth. He then handed me a letter from my mother. She called me a traitor and stated that my superiors would never do what I had accused them of.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Besides being sick, I was now feeling quite weak. A guard named Corporal Dinnage seemed to be my saviour. He secretly brought me food and medication. I wrote another incident report and confided in Dinnage where my last set of photographs were hidden at. I asked him to mail this package in his name to his parents in Minnesota and then have them forward this package to Senator Sarbanes in Maryland.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Suddenly, there was no more Corporal Dinnage. "Christ sake", I couldn't believe I was so stupid as to let myself be setup like this! It was over for me, I had no more evidence whatsoever. The guards were back to abusing me again.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
It took me three days to build a suicide contraption. It was made from blankets, sheets and belts. I wasn't about to let these bastards end my life their way as they did the refugees. I would end my life, "MY WAY"!
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The guard on the night shift was asleep as usual. It was time. I hooked my suicide contraption to the steam ducts running across the top of my cell. Just as I hung myself the metal support duct strap snapped and made a loud boom. The guard awoke and quickly cut me down. I was then stripped out of all belongings and four pointed down to my rack.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I had long done given up hope when suddenly I am released from the brig. I am now being treated like royalty. I am definitely confused. It then dawned on me, Corporal Dinnage came through for me. I then received orders to be sent back to the states immediately via an escort from Headquarters Marine Corps.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
After I had been back in the states for approximately a month I received a package in the mail with a return address from the Washington Post newspaper on it. I opened up this package. Inside was a newspaper with the headlines stating in bold print, "PRESIDENT CARTER ORDERS ALL U.S. SHIPS'S TO PICKUP VIET REFUGEES".
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
In summary, my immediate family and relatives are long term residents of Baltimore / Washington. Since the time of this incident, I have been shunned by my entire family, friends and acquaintances that I grew up with. This stands true to this present day. But, why should these people care, these were just Vietnamese refugees, it didn't affect these people in the Baltimore / Washington area. Terror had not yet struck their front door.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| page created with Easy Designer |