Decades later, Marines hunt Vietnam-era deserters

[The Straight Story]

Decades later, Marines hunt Vietnam-era deserters

By Bill Nichols
USA Today

In the summer of 1965, Marine Cpl. Jerry Texiero quietly disappeared from his California base, plagued by personal demons and a mounting opposition to the Vietnam War.

Forty years later, in the summer of 2005, Texiero — now known as Gerome Conti — was taken into custody by police in Tarpon Springs, Fla., after the Marine Corps tracked him down.

Thirty years after the war ended, hundreds of Vietnam-era deserters are still on the loose. Conti’s attorneys, Louis Font and Tod Ensign, say the Pentagon, and the Marine Corps in particular, are cracking down on long-term cases in an effort to warn current-day troops in Iraq against deserting.

“My view is that the Marines are trying to send a message to people in the ranks today that they, too, will be required to participate in a war, whether they think it’s illegal or immoral,” Font says.

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1583997.php

[annabanana]

1. It's sure not going to do much for recruitment though...

I think I saw some desertion numbers for Iraq... Not sure if from regulars or guards...8000, IIRC

[stillcool]

2. who's doing the tracking....???

the marines have the money and man power to do this shit?..Oh.... NSA...nevermind.

[Old and In the Way]

3. Have them check 1600 Penn Ave., Washington, DC

I know they can find a deserter there. Another one, living at the Naval Observatory, didn't desert, but he avoided the conflict, 5 times, because he had other priorities.

[BringEmOn]

4. When will Texas Air National Guard do the same?

[Sparkly]

5. My thoughts exactly. nt

[Nailzberg]

6. A good use of manpower since we already got bin Laden captured.

What? He's still on the loose?

[drduffy]

7. f the damn government

being chased down because you refused to serve in an illegal war for two lying presidents and you were in violation of the corporate profits act; i.e., to maximize profits for all war material corporations. ..... So Yeh. F all of the corporations and F the government of the United States of Empire.

there is no other rational response.....

[Nailzberg]

8. I just wrote my legislators.

Maybe Obama can offer up a bill to put an end to this immoral dragnet.

I'm glad I left the Army during end of the Clinton administration. I hadn't fulfilled my commitment, but the Army wasn't under pressure to retain troops at the time, so I walked with a general discharge, so they can't come round me up. I had a buddy that did the same thing. We both just stopped going to drill (different units), got a call from personnel, and told them we had enough of the military. We both were given discharges. I was worried that Bush might beat Gore, and had this crazy idea that he'd get us involved in some immoral war. Go figure. My former reserve unit has done three tours since then.

[Moody Bluz]

9. This Shows Hypocritical...

The fundies are. You tell them about election fraud and they say, "It's been over a year. Let it go!" Well look, Asshole! It has been 40 years since these guys refused to go off to war, how about YOU letting it go!

[newyawker99]

10. Hi Moody Bluz!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: