Kent State

[frisco-kid]

Recently in a thread someone made a reference to the shooting at Kent State. They inferred that they were happy that the students were killed/wounded. I was sorry to hear that.

On 4MAY70 members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students that were protesting the Viet Nam War. When it was over, there were 4 dead, 1 permanently paralyzed, and 8 wounded. The nearest student shot was 30yds. away, the farthest was over 250yds. away. In the investigations that followed, there was never any evidence that the Guardsmen were physically attacked.

This was a black day in our history. There were no winners to emerge from this tragedy. As a Viet Nam Vet I, personally, had/have an inherent dislike for anti-war protestors. We were often the targets of their verbal, and sometimes physical, attacks. But when this happened I was saddened. And as more of the story came to light, I was ashamed that something like this happened in our country. This was something that was associated with a Communist country or a Dictatorship.

When I first got to Ft. Bragg in JUL67, some of the 82nd Airborne troopers were doing riot duty in Detroit to help quell the race riots going on there. Alot of my time with the 82nd was spent on riot control training, with special emphasis on formation and fire discipline. I don't think this tragedy would have occured with well-disciplined Federal troops. This was a direct reflection of the Guardsmen's training and leadership. This was a bunch of "Weekend Warriors" that had next to no training in crowd control being led by officers and NCOs with the same training, or lack of it. I think [my opinion] the first shot was fired in anger by one of the Guardsmen that couldn't take the jeering, name calling, etc.. The rest paniced, not even knowing why they were shooting. Seen it happen with perimeter guards. A needless loss of young lives and, I'm sure, the source of alot of guilty feelings for the Guardsmen. Like I said, no winners to be found, including us as a nation.

[82Rigger]

...that almost all of the folks that make statements like the one you describe are making judgement with insuffecient information on the circumstances of that day. They simply don't have all the facts, and are not analyzing properly the little info they DO have.

I've done a LOT of reading on Kent State, including the school's own library archives.

If anyone wants to, we can turn this thread into a discussion on this event.

Steve / 82Rigger

[Andy]

The shooting of the students at Kent State was wrong. As has been said it was no doubt due to lack of training. It was a sad affair.
Over the years there has been a lot of coverage of that event, several film makers have made these youths martyrs. My only wish has been that someone would make of film of each of the U.S. troops in Vietnam who also died on that date. A film showing Americans in uniform who were trying to fight to keep the right to protest for peoples not only in Ohio but all over the world.
Kent State was a sad incident but not any more sad than other Americans who also died that day and many, many other days.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[SEATJERKER]

...on what Andy said about Honoring those that were KIA on May 4th 1970, I did some looking through a "google search"...

...closest I came to was the day after in which...

Mills, Rodney Kenneth SSGT was KIA,

" May he rest in peace".



...I came across 2 sites of that I viewed, and ...

"www.scarface-usmc.org/memorial.htm"

which pays tribute to many fallen brothers from the USMC.

I, also found SSGT Mills name there first on...

"www.rangerteam16.com/p co kia



...I did not find any other information to the date of May 4th through ten pages of the search, and maybe some of you might know of other sites to find out the names of those that were KIA , and form a tribute...

....Welcome home...

[Seascamp]

Tom & all,

In these times of protest it?s probably a good idea to remember Kent State and the tragic circumstances that unfolded. Or probably more importantly, recall our learning and the ingredients and recipe of the Kent State disaster. There is no doubt?s in my mind that off campus radical organizations were stoking the fires of unrest and using the students as mere cannon fodder to advance their own agenda. As well there is no doubt in my mind that there was total authority mindlessness in dealing with the explosive situation. Add to this an over equipped and under trained Guard unit and we got what we got. Finger pointing and blame placing can go on and on but that doesn?t guarantee it can?t happen again.

From what we?ve see out here there is an intent to confront and disrupt and perhaps do physical/ property damage. On the other hand I see well-trained police forces that haven?t panicked and have done a good job of keeping a reasonable lid on the chaos. But not all western Counties can afford that level of police training nor have the ability to contain things once a threshold is crossed and that is where the next tragedy can come from. I know the rural mind-set and I wouldn?t offer up tolerance and understanding toward civil disobedience by outsiders as a strong suit at all, nope.

Scamp

[Arrow]

THOMAS OLIVER AHLBERG



SGT - E5 - Army - Regular
19 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Feb 03, 1951
From IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO
His tour of duty began on Nov 09, 1969
Casualty was on May 04, 1970
in THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - NONCREW
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was recovered
Religion
LATTER DAY SAINTS, MORMON

[Arrow]

DEAN L AITKEN



SGT - E5 - Army - Selective Service
101st Airborne Division
20 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Apr 28, 1950
From VERNAL, UTAH
His tour of duty began on Feb 20, 1970
Casualty was on May 04, 1970
in THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - CREW
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was recovered
Religion
LATTER DAY SAINTS, MORMON

Panel 11W - - Line 96

[Arrow]

JAMES GERALD ANDERSON



SGT - E5 - Army - Regular
198th Light Infantry Brigade
23 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Mar 10, 1947
From SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, PENNSYLVANIA
Length of service 2 years.
His tour of duty began on Jan 10, 1970
Casualty was on May 04, 1970
in QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Body was recovered
Religion
PROTESTANT

Panel 11W - - Line 94

[Arrow]

DEAN LOUIS BONNEAU



WO - W1 - Army - Reserve
101st Airborne Division
20 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jan 03, 1950
From OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN
His tour of duty began on Dec 22, 1969
Casualty was on May 04, 1970
in THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM
NON-HOSTILE, HELICOPTER - PILOT
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC

Panel 11W - - Line 94

[Arrow]

RONALD CHISOLM



PVT - E1 - Army - Selective Service
5th Infantry Division Mechanized
20 year old Single, Negro, Male
Born on Apr 08, 1950
From HOLLIS, NEW YORK
His tour of duty began on Jun 21, 1969
Casualty was on May 04, 1970
in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Body was recovered
Religion
BAPTIST

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