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Show Viet Vet Asks Home Front Support Before Return To War Sgt. Gary Chestnut of Escal-ante left Monday for his second year's tour of duty as an army machine gunner in Viet Nam. After eleven months of fighting he returned last October for a brief leave at home, followed by a six-month assignment at Fort Dix, New Jersey, as instructor for men in basic training. The sergeant's mother, Mrs. Kate Porter of Escalante, is pleased to show numerous certificates of valor, four U. S. Army Air Medals, and a Vietnamese Medal of Honor, sent home at various times by her son, and a sheaf of war pictures he has photographed. Gary agrees that he was fortunate in escaping injury except for "a little shrapnel' in his right leg and shoulder which required only a week in the hospital. Among many narrow escapes was one mission on which thirteen enemy shots pierced his helicopter. Danger was literally everywhere from the omnl-present Viet Cong guerillas. Reliability of the allied Vietnamese fighters varied, the sergeant said. Some were well-trained, some not. He has a great respect for the South Vietnamese Rangers, all carefully selected, well trained men. Morale of American forces is extremely high, according to Sgt. Chestnut. "The most dan- gcrous, dirty jobs always get plenty of volunteers. Our men are top grade." Asked about the attitude of American fighting men to the critics of the war, the draft dodgers, and other dissenters, the sergeant shrugged and frowned. "Of course they don't like war; neither do we. Nobody docs. But if America fails to be strong, there'll be plenty of enemies ready to fall on us. We'll have war, and it won't be in Asia." Then he added with calm force, "What we want over tli ere is victory, not another compromise like in Korea." In this second year in Viet Nam Sgt. Chestnut will doubtless do his part to achieve this aim. |