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Show G. l.-turned-student saw heroism, death BY KURT NUTTING Chronicle Staff What does the Vietnamese war do to die soldiers who are sent to fight it? A former medical evacuation ("Dustoff") helicopter pilot Tom Hawkes, who is now attending the University Medical School' found ambivalent reactions to the war from American troops On one day's flights, within 15 minutes, Hawkes saw unbelievable heroism by wounded GI's helping Vietnamese civilians under attack and U.S. forces shooting peasants almost indiscriminately after a mine blew up an American truck. Hawkes, who served as a capt'ain working as a liaison officer with a civilian care project (Civilian Action Projects) as well as a Dustoff pilot was stationed at Chu Lai in the I ("Eye") Corps area (the northern' military district in South Vietnam, just south of the Demilitarized Zone) for about four months during 1968. He was "involved" in the famous incident at My Lai hamlet in March 1968, during which over 100 civilians were allegedly killed by American troops, but is "under orders" not to talk about it. Of Vietnam itself, "Everything you hear about it is true," but you s ill must experience it personally to feel the impact. The people of Vietnam are "tremendously ethnocentric," he feels, and devoted to Vietnamese nationalism, of which Ho Chi Minh was the ereatest proponent. Hawkes feels that the U.S. should have, once involved in the war at least have been more honest about our coal of setting up , anti-Communist, pro-American government in Saigon with less concern tor world opinion. The nationalist feeling, North or South views American troops oftentimes as the aggressors, and this made the tasks ot Americans much harder. Despite his very deep misgivings about the effects of the war-both at home and in Vietnam-he does not feel bitter about his role in the conflict and believes that the work he did was worthwhile Concerning the impact of death and carnage on the combat soldier he says Nobody could ever become numbed to that," and renmks that while the troops in base areas-abundantly supplied with alcohol beautiful beaches, and girls-swap war stories that get better each retelling, combat GI's are quiet and reluctant to discuss their experiences. Although reluctant to be called a hero, Hawkes was himself wounded badly and returned to a Stateside hospital for three months. |
