Charges reported urged for Vietnam soldier (1967 war atrocities)

Buffalo News ^ | 9/06/04

[Libloather]

Charges reported urged for Vietnam soldier
Associated Press
9/6/2004

TOLEDO, Ohio - A military attorney has recommended charging a former soldier in a 1967 rampage of alleged atrocities committed by U.S. troops against hundreds of civilians in Vietnam, a newspaper reported.

The Blade, which won a Pulitzer Prize for its reporting on the elite Tiger Force platoon, said in its Sunday edition that the recommendation involved retired Maj. James Hawkins, 63, a former unit commander who now lives near Orlando, Fla.

Hawkins declined to comment on the military attorney's recommendation, the newspaper said.

Army Reserve lawyer Michael Walther reviewed the original case and the Blade's series and concluded that the evidence was strong enough to return Hawkins to duty for an Article 32 hearing, the equivalent of a military grand jury, the newspaper said.

The Army has not decided whether to prosecute Hawkins, according to the newspaper, which said questions remain whether Army lawyers have the legal power to charge him.

Hawkins was among 18 former Tiger Force soldiers accused by Army investigators of crimes ranging from murder and assault to dereliction of duty during an investigation in 1971-75. The case was dropped by the Pentagon and concealed from the public until revealed by the Blade.

The most serious allegation faced by Hawkins in 1975 was the fatal shooting of an elderly carpenter in the Song Ve Valley in July 1967. Army investigators recommended in 1975 that he be charged with murder.

In an interview with the Blade last year, he admitted killing the elderly man because "he was making too much noise."

[Libloather]

Didn't Kerry admit to something like this?

[gilliam]

Now Kerry's gang is going after random Vietnam vets in an attempt to improve Kerry's political position.

This is getting disgusting!

[Shermy]

I question the timing...

[Texas Eagle]

Army Reserve lawyer Michael Walther reviewed the original case and the Blade's series and concluded that the evidence was strong enough to return Hawkins to duty for an Article 32 hearing, the equivalent of a military grand jury, the newspaper said.

Really. What is the nature of the evidence? Did Maj. Hawkins appear before a Senate committee and admit committing atrocities?

[aynrandfreak]

If the atrocities were widespread as Kerry claims, it wouldn't be worth it to go after this one guy.

[Taxbilly]

Didn't Kerry admit to something like this?

J. Kerry and B. Kerrey both I believe.

[Texas Eagle]

LETTERS
letters@theblade.com

FOLEY, EILEEN
efoley@theblade.com Associate editor (419) 724-6123

JOHANEK, MARILOU
mjohanek@theblade.com Commentary writer (419) 724-6172

LESSENBERRY, JACK
omblade@aol.com Ombudsman (419) 724-6200

RUSSELL, ROSE
rrussell@theblade.com Associate editor (419) 724-6178

SHUTT, DAVID
dshutt@theblade.com Editorial director (419) 724-6067


WALTON, TOM
twalton@theblade.com Vice president-Editor (419) 724-6170

[Howlin]

I saw these two guys on something last night -- maybe Scarborough.

The are the real deal; this has nothing to do with Kerry; it is a Pentagon investigation that took years; in fact, it's the longest, largest investigation ever undertaken by the military.

And the thing to note is that there is NOTHING about it in the MSM; the two guys said that they figured it was because it was broken by a small paper, and not the majors. One can only imagine the headlines if this had come from The New York Times or the Washington Post.

[Howlin]

Hold off on that. These guys are the real deal, not Kerry people!

[aruanan]

Any chance of getting Kerry charged? He admitted to it.

[VeniVidiVici]

And the thing to note is that there is NOTHING about it in the MSM...

Personally I think this is because this could be very, very bad for Herr John.

[Howlin]

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=SRTIGERFORCE

I'm serious; these people do not need to be trashed; they are the good guys.

[Alia]

Interesting.... As I first read it, I thought about Clinton's RETROACTIVE TAXATION.

This, however, and according to the article has been an ongoing military investigation, no? Well, in this case, it suggests I might live long enough to find out exactly who in the State Department has been selling out our soldiers in Iraq.

[JLS]

It seems to me if we are charging 35+ year old war crimes, then an admitted war criminal village burners has to be near the top of the list.

[aruanan]

It seems to me if we are charging 35+ year old war crimes, then an admitted war criminal village burners has to be near the top of the list.

At first I thought PETA would want him busted for offing the animals. But then they'd probably say he was just liberating them from their life of slavery.

[nopardons]

Yes he did and this poor man is a victim of Kerry's "hit team".I doubt Hawkins did these crimes.

[Castlebar]

This is the plot of the magnificent novel, Word of Honor.

[jordan8]

evidence was strong enough to return Hawkins to duty for an Article 32 hearing

The plot of a bad TV movie starring Don Johnson. Didn't think it happened in real life.

[Bonaparte]

Let me get this straight. Jane Fonda commits blatant treason, gets a bunch of our POWs tortured, beaten, maimed and killed, and she isn't touched but Hawkins is? Do I have that right?